More Than Just Shadow
by Kirlien
Summary: Amy was sitting quietly on the doublebed, watching over the wounded Pokémon. “Mewtwo…What are you? ...Who are you?” she whispered faintly, her fingers brushing against his cheek slightly in a soothing motion…
1. Prologue

**_Hello Everybody and Welcome to my very first Anime-Fiction... ;D_**

**_Interesting, even though I am not an actual fan of Pokémon, I've grown incredibly found of this one personage who shall be portrayed as the main character in my story and whom I greatly hope to portray in a believable manner as well... :)_**

**_This story will mainly concentrate on the feelings and emotions of the characters and will be set to portray the beginning of a new life for an unfortunate soul who had yet to find his place in the world...I greatly hope to change that and eventually guide him to a new family. :) _**

**_Hope you'll enjoy reading my writing just as much as I enjoy working on it:) I've done my best to create a unique story-line here, even though I've read several fantastic stories up here which have given me the overwhelming inspiration to give it all a try as well and come up with my own version of this particular legendary Pokémon's adventures. : ) I would like to highlight this though, I NEVER intended to steal any ideas from those stories, nor shall I EVER intend to!!!! Should you people find similarities between certain happenings, my deepest apologies for that...they are highly unintentional. I wouldn't like to steal any ideas here you know... :( I shall do my best to avoid such things from happening:)_**

**_Oh, one more swift disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Pokémon characters, they belong to their respective owners:) I only own my three OCs in this here plot and the story-line. :) I'm writing this fanfic because it gives me great pleasure to do so and I hope I can present others with pleasant hours of reading as well by submitting this story up here on the web. )) Hope I'll succeed... :D_**

**_Okay, I believe the author has spoken enough for now... :P _**

**_Here comes the prologue and chapters shall be added real soon as well. :D I plan on updating this story weekly, but expect to see another uploaded chapter this week as well, since it is the beginning we're talking about here... :) I would greatly like to know your opinion about my story as well, so PLEASE PLEASE leave reviews!!! ;D Oh, but please, no flames... :P Criticism shall be accepted, as long as it's constructive and mild in language... :)_**

**_Thank you all in advance and now, let's get started, shall we:D Waaaaahooooo... ;D_**

**Prolo****gue**

It all started on an ordinary October day, in the wilderness near City Maze, on a day seemingly just as calm and peaceful like any other in the region…There was not a sound to be heard in the crisp morning air of the forest, and any traveler would've found the quiet stillness of the environment to be the most relaxing and soothing sight one could ever wish for. However…one should never solely rely on first impressions. For this stillness spreading among the thick foliage was nothing more than the herald of a thundering storm in the northern parts of Foster Forest.

The sudden vibrations of deep, booming explosions stirred many of the unsuspecting creatures dwelling in the surrounding trees and bushes, just waking from their peaceful slumber. The scurrying stamps of many feet, both small and large, soon filled the once quiet atmosphere, indicating the great number of wild Pokémon who gave it all they've got to get as far away from the area of commotion as possible. Neither of them wished to get involved…not in a battle with such powerful contestants. In a matter of an incredibly short time, fear and panic replaced the calm and quiet of early morning.

A tiny pair of a Plusle and a Minun, whose shelter for the night was perhaps one of the closest to the battleground, was nearly scared out of their fluffy skin as a dark orb of energy struck near their location. They exchanged wide-eyed glances before hurrying to the entrance of the small burrow to take a peak outside. The roaring sound of the nearby waterfall was all but completely drowned by the din of battle high above their heads, fought beyond the ledge of the tall cliffs surrounding the curve of Crystal River. They did not dare to take a step further into the open…the ear-splitting echoes of the fight seemed to grow louder by the minute. Whatever it was that took place on top of those cliffs couldn't have been a pretty sight…

Just then, a new sound joined the quarrel of blasts and blows, and the sudden noise of surging electricity came as all too familiar to the two small Pokémon hiding in the safety of the burrow. They instinctively lifted their heads to look for the source, but what they saw afterwards was anything they could've possibly expected…

A tall, muscular figure was hurled through the air with astounding speed, his body enveloped in a shocking blaze of crackling electricity…The creature flew straight over the river in a huge arch, only to crash into the rocky side of the cliff on the other side with such force it left the spot of the impact break up into several smaller pieces of debris. The being's back collided roughly with the craggy wall, its whole body jerking violently from the collision. The Plusle and the Minun watched with horror as the creature slid down from the cliff, with nothing to slow the fall of its limp figure towards the rushing waters of the river. Both little Pokémon closed their eyes as it landed with a huge splash not far from them, promptly disappearing from view under the waves. By the time they looked up again, the surface of the river was once again calm and even. As if nothing had stirred its movement a few seconds ago…

The booming sounds of the battle seized, and the empty stillness once again overtook the area of the northern region. The Plusle and Minun were left behind shocked and flabbergasted at the incident that had just occurred. They looked at each other once again, with fear and uneasy concern. What was all that fighting about high above their heads? And further more…whatever happened to that strange looking Pokémon who disappeared under the currents?

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**_AN.: Sorry, one more swift note... :P I do not believe the environment (( like "City Maze")) the story is taking place in really exists in the original Pokémon Saga, I've made the names up while writing the prologue...Should they somehow exist after all though, my apologies. In that case, they belong to the one who came up with them first... :P _**

**_Ta ta for now and see you all really soon! ;D_**

**_Kirlien _**


	2. Chapter One

**_Wow-wow-wow... Three reviews in one day?! ... OMG:D _**

**_Thank you so very much you guys, you've truely made my day!!! --- does the happy-dance --- :D_**

**_Oh, and thank you for the favs too!!! I was totally speechless when I saw...Whoot:P :D_**

**_Okies, as promised, I shall add another chapter, which will basically be an introduction of my two main OCs and their four vigorous little Pokémon. :) Hope I'll be able to keep up the good work... :P Oh,_** **_and just maybe, (( :P )), I'll add the following chapter soon as well, so you could all see who exactly the mysterious Pokémon is. ;D (( Though, if you take a closer look at the summary...it just might give it away... Hehehe... :P )) _**

**_Okies then, now that all that is said, let's get this story really going! ;D Hope you'll enjoy and can't wait for your further reviews. :D Thanks again everybody!! _**

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**Chapter 1:**

"He-hey! Keep it quiet back there! Just a few more minutes to go you guys." the cheerful voice of a young woman called back to the excited group of Pokémon fidgeting in the back of the van.

"They probably think you're not a fast enough driver when it comes to family outings." her best friend told her nonchalantly, failing miserably at trying to suppress her huge grin.

"Look who's talking! You're the one who still lacks practice when it comes to driving this van!" the one called Amy retorted with fake resentment. She didn't even need to turn her view from the road to know Gwen was practically choking with the effort not to laugh out loud beside her. Well, at least she was trying…unlike the passengers behind them. Their little friends in the back of the vehicle were itching to get outside into the fresh air and sunlight…and their impatience showed pretty clearly.

"_I swear, sometimes they are worse than children…"_ Amy thought, shaking her head fondly at the din the little creatures were making. They were quite a handful…Gwen's Furret and Chikorita, not to mention her own Kirlia and Beautifly. With four Pokémon in one household…the two girls never even had the chance to get bored.

"_And to think we're not even professional Trainers!"_ Amy couldn't help but smirk at the thought. It has never really been their goal to become one neither. Gwen was an excellent artist, and Amy's interests were in taking as many pictures as possible with her trusty camera she always had with her. She greatly hoped to become a real photographer within the next few years, just like Gwen dreamed of opening her very own gallery of self-made paintings one day. Both of them were artists by heart…and they had talent!

Knowing their fields of interest, it is not surprising that they both spent as much time outdoors as they possibly could. Usually, the weekends provided the perfect opportunity for a pleasant trip to their favorite place, the shady grounds of Foster Forest. Organizing such trips was anything but difficult. Amy and Gwen both lived in one house with Gwen's uncle, who was a professor of biology, interested in both floral studies as well as the study of many different life forms, including Pokémon.

The girls have been best friends ever since meeting in primary school. In all the long years, they have developed a sisterly bond with each other, promising never to let anything disturb their deep friendship.

They needed this bond perhaps more than they actually realized…they've had a lot in common. Both of them were single children, with difficult childhood. Gwen's parents died in an accident when the girls were eleven years old. It was a horrific blow for her; and Amy felt her loss just as deeply, for the young couple had always been like her own mother and father as well.

Not that Amy didn't have her real parents…She loved them deeply and will always love them no matter what happened. However, the conditions that have developed in their family life were getting more and more difficult for her to digest as the years passed by… Both her mother and father loved her greatly, this she knew…but sadly, the relationship between the parents themselves was anything but loving and peaceful…and young Amy was the one who could feel that the most. There were times to the present day when Amy would wake up in the middle of the night, shivering in her whole body, her eyes cloudy with tears as the memories of the terrible quarrels throughout her younger years as a child came back to her in her sleep. Visions of fights that had sometimes developed into more than just an exchange of heated words…and which, she always felt, held her, as an only child, as the cause of their eventual occurrence.

It was the main reason for her to willingly take the offer of Professor Spivok when he invited her to move to his home along with Gwen after the death of her friend's parents. He had obviously heard some of the stories from Gwen back then…

And indeed, the following years really did prove how advantageous this change of atmosphere truly was for the young Amy. With the professor's help, she, just like Gwen, found a way to overcome the sorrows of their past and find the light at the end of the dark, mental cave they had withdrawn to.

Of course, Amy never broke touch with her parents completely. She still visited her mother and father regularly, who have long since divorced. It was probably the best solution for them, too…and Amy was most grateful she never had to choose between them, about who she would've rather wanted to stay with afterwards…

These happenings brought the two girls into a closer friendship than anything else. They were always there for each other, consoling one another when the pain was the worst. Eventually, Amy privately took it upon herself to take the role of the older, protective sister. After all, Gwen's situation was by far worse than her own. A whole world collapsed within her soul after the death of her parents…and Amy knew that her own troubles were incomparable to her friend's pain. The sheer thought of loosing one's mother and father this suddenly as Gwen did made her heart shiver. Gwen needed extra care and lots of comfort…and Amy did her best to help her survive this terrible blow of life. Even now, after eight long years, she never seized to watch over her friend's condition.

It took a very long time for the deepest wounds to heal; nevertheless, should anyone meet the two young women nowadays, it would be hard to find any open trace of their bitter past in their features. Amy and Gwen were two healthy-looking, lovely teenagers who enjoyed the wonders of life anywhere they could. Just like today, on their trip to the nearby forest.

Of course, the quartette of their lively Pokémon companions had a huge role in their recuperation as well. They were like pets to them and they loved and treated them like equal members of the family. The thought of sending them to battle with other Pokémon was something they greatly despised and always did their best to avoid. Their Pokémon were not meant to fight.

Seeing them happy made their masters feel happy as well. And "family outings" such as the present one were the best way to get the four of them burst with joy. The only thing the little creatures would've probably changed in the routine of the trip was the length of the journey to their favorite spot at the borders of the forest…

"Furrrrret??" a round, stripy head suddenly appeared between the two of them, all but asking about whether they were there yet or not.

"Now, now Fergie, you stay put, alright? Like Amy said, just a few more minutes." Gwen answered him, reaching up to scratch the weasel behind the ear.

"Less if we hurry." Amy replied with a grin and stepped on the pedal with just "a tiny bit" more force. "Hold on to your hats!"

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„Sheesh…I know I said you weren't fast enough, but this haste was ridiculous." Gwen murmured after getting out of the car three minutes later.

"Now don't tell me you didn't like it!" Amy answered to that remark, smiling innocently from ear to ear while opening the back doors of the van, letting their Pokémon to get outside in the open as well. "Why, just look at them! They obviously had fun." she said, pointing towards the four of them as they ran several circles around the two girls, looking vigorous and excited, a happy smile on each of their faces.

"Yeah, sure…They are just happy to get out of that van!" Gwen retorted with a wry glance. But of course her eyes betrayed her demeanor. She actually found the whole display just as fun as the others did. After all, Amy did have experience when it came to driving. She already had her license for two years by the time.

"Indeed. Let's get going then, shall we?" Amy replied with a wink and the little group set out for the long walk in the pleasant autumn weather. They were in luck; the stormy season didn't arrive yet. The sun was shining brightly over their heads; the wind was fresh and cool, but not uncomfortably cold. In every aspect, it was a perfect Sunday for a perfect outing…

As usual, Gwen's Furret and Chikorita were the first ones to reach the line of the trees, chasing each other around their trunks with glee. Amy's Beautifly followed their path from above, maneuvering skillfully over the travelers' heads, reducing his altitude time and time again to join in the fun the others were having. Amy's Kirlia however stayed relatively close to her owner, regarding the scenery of the other lively creatures with a happy smile on her face, but not wishing to leave the side of the girls for too long herself. Even though the small Pokémon had been a part of this company for almost a year now, she mostly still felt a bit shy about letting herself go to the point of such friskiness which was so characteristic for the others.

"If they only knew how enviable their state really is. Not a care in the world…" Gwen stated, following the movement of her pets with her eyes.

"Yep, very true." Amy agreed with a grin. She often played with the thought herself what it would feel like to be one of those lively creatures, just for a day. She turned her head aside to look down at her Kirlia who was walking tip-toed beside her.

"Don't you want to join the others, Kira?" The inquiry in the eyes of the little Pokémon made Amy's smile double in size. "Look, they are obviously having fun! Of all the persons, you shouldn't be left out of it. Go ahead and join in the game!" she urged her on with gentle words, till the unsure glance in the Kirlia's expression eventually turned to a more eased glint and with the help of a final, friendly poke, the ballerina skipped ahead towards her companions.

A small sigh escaped her master's lips as she watched her go.

"She still has difficulties relieving herself from all the stress that affected her under her previous owner." Amy said solemnly, a grim shadow crossing her face at the thought.

"I know. But her demeanor has improved a lot since she came under your care." Gwen told her reassuringly. "She's a whole deal different from the Kirlia we knew when she first arrived at our home."

"Yes." Amy nodded with another heavy sigh. "I just feel so sorry for her having to bear all that arrogance and greed for so long. That trainer had absolutely no respect for another creature's soul, be it a fellow human or Pokémon." she said, the bitterness in her voice evident.

"Unfortunately, he's not the only one. Such people have always roamed the lands and will always be present in the future." Gwen told the grim truth out loud. Amy knew how right she was and she hated the mere mention of that thought. Yet, it was such an everyday experience in the world one could simply not avoid talking about it time and time again. And the worst part of it all to Amy was that there was simply no possible way for anybody to do anything truly sufficient about it…it is a constantly appearing problem that will always linger in society.

"Oi! We're falling behind!" Gwen suddenly exclaimed, jolting Amy from her reverie as well.

"Fergie! Chica! That's not the right way!!" she cried out once more, calling after her Pokémon who were far too involved in the cat-and-mouse-game to notice they were gradually drifting away from the path they were walking on.

Both Pokémon stopped for a moment to look back towards their master, only to exchange a mischievous glance in the next.

"Chico! Chikorita, Chico!" came the response from the Chikorita before both creatures turned tail and proceeded into the bushes of the surrounding forest with astounding speed and playful giggles.

"HEY!! What's the big idea?!" Gwen cried after them, mouth agape.

"Heh, guess they had other plans…" Amy offered, staring at the spot the two rascals disappeared to.

"_They want you to play. Want you to play tag." _

Both Amy and Gwen looked down at the Kirlia standing in front of them. Luckily, she did not follow the others into the shrubs, unlike Amy's Beautifly.

"Tag? In the middle of a forest?" Gwen blinked. "What will they think of next…"

Amy couldn't help but giggle at her friend's expression.

"Oh, don't you worry. Fergie and Chica are far cleverer than to simply loose their ways. I'm sure they won't risk wandering off too far away from our position. Am I right Kira?"

The psychic Pokémon smiled up brightly at the duo at the inquiry, pointing towards the right direction among the trees.

"_They're not far. Waiting for you to find and catch." _

"Oh, so they want us to be the cat this time, huh?" Amy asked with a hint of mirth. "What do you say, Gwen?"

Her reply was one most suggestive grin.

"Show us the way, Kirlia! Let's get 'em!"

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"BOE!! You come down from up there, you hear me?! You have been spotted and you darn well know none of us can fly up after you to such heights in order to actually tag you! So be a nice Pokémon and spare us the trouble, will ya'?" Amy called after her Beautifly who was hovering among the leaves of a nearby tree, trying to talk some sense into her companion and hoping greatly that her Pokémon wasn't in one of his more stubborn moods.

They had been wandering around for quite some time now and frankly, it was only thanks to Kirlia that they have eventually spotted one of their run-away friends high over their heads.

"Now Boe, be nice…" Amy tried again with as much patience she had. Her Pokémon still refused to give in that easily. After all, he had the advantage in this game…

Amy finally let out a small grunt of irritation.

"Kira, would you please help us out, hm?" she asked, glancing down at the small Kirlia with her typical expression of "I give up".

"Kiiirlia!" came the cheerful response. The next moment, a sweet aura appeared around Kira's body as she concentrated her psychic powers…and within seconds, the Beautifly's form got drawn out of the foliage, the same colorful glow surrounding him as it did Kirlia.

As hard as he tried to withstand the psychic pull of his comrade, his picturesque wings didn't have the strength to conquer the power of Kirlia's mind. The little Pokémon might have been small, but she clearly had far more strength in her than one would've thought at first glance.

The Beautifly still tried to resist Kirlia's grasp, but to no avail. He didn't even realize it and he was already in one eyelevel with his master…

"Beauti…fly." he managed to mutter, a sheepish blush appearing on his face. Amy could've sworn he was smiling.

"Yeah, that's right you rascal. Next time I call for you, and especially if it's at least the hundredth time, you come and NO backtalk, got it?" she scolded lightly, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Beautifly." her Pokémon succumbed, lowering his head in approval.

"Yep. You better." Amy said, unable to keep her stern gaze any longer and patted Boe's head lovingly.

"Well then, at least one Pokémon has been re-caught." Gwen stated with a small smile. She was getting a little uneasy because of the absence of her own ones. She knew they were nearby, judging from the slight rustle of the bushes around them now and then, but she would've liked it a lot more if she saw them scurrying along beside her again.

"Yes. One caught, two more to be "tagged". Amy said with a smile of her own, her now free Beautifly flattering around her head once more. "Let's get to it. It's getting a little windy here…"

They moved on, hoping to find Furret and Chikorita soon. Amy had a feeling they were in for a niiice little lecture from their owner once they were together again…the idea of it made her chuckle within. She knew Gwen was starting to get worried a bit, but Amy felt rather calm still. These parts of the forest were mostly peaceful, with nothing really to worry about…so Amy decided it was still early to give in to that feeling.

A few more minutes passed silently as they walked further, following the route under their feet… However, they soon reached a fork in the road. The path they were on separated into two different ones in front of them.

They had been here before on many previous walks, the area wasn't unfamiliar to them. But now, it was more difficult to decide which way to go further…

Amy diverted her gaze from one road to the other, scratching her head briefly before turning towards Gwen with a questioning look.

"Okay…Right, or left?"

Gwen shook her head at the question.

"No idea...What do you suggest?"

"Hmm…" Amy's glance wandered over to Kirlia, then to the Beautifly who flew past her head once again. Finally, a thought hit her.

"Tell you what…We should split up. We have more chance of catching up with those rascals if we go separate ways. They probably didn't leave the trail far behind, so one of us will eventually have to bump into them at one point…So. You should take Boe with you; he was with Fergie and Chika when they ran off. Let's hope he'll be able to relocate them…I'll take the other path with Kira. This way, no matter which direction they took, we'll have better odds of finding them…What do you think?"

"Sounds like a plan." Gwen agreed, nodding her head. "Let's get to it then, shall we?"

"Right." Amy spun around, catching her Beautifly's glance. "You heard the plan too, Boe. Be a good Pokémon and help Gwen find the others as fast as possible. And DON'T you even think of flying off like that again, capiche?" The Beautifly nodded his head in fast motion with approval. He knew when play-time was over…

Gwen regarded the scene with a wry grin, taking in her friend's features of "being stern".

"Thanks for that…Alright then. Let's meet back here in one hour. That should give us enough time to find everyone…"

"Gotcha." Amy said in response, smiling at her friend reassuringly. "Good luck!"

"Yeah, you too."

With that, they were off…Gwen to the right with Beautifly by her side, Amy to the left along with Kirlia.

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**_Ah yes, chapters will be growing greatly in length from now on... ;D_**

**_Please let me know what you all think. :)_**

**_See you later!!_**

**_-- Kirlien --_**


	3. Chapter Two

**_Thank you all for the encouraging reviews !! They really mean a LOT to me :D _**

**_Sorry about the occasional spelling errors folks...English is my second language. :P I'll do my best to avoid them in the future. :) _**

**_Okies, I really hope you'll like my next chapter as well!! Things are just starting to get interesting... :D _**

**_Btw, texts written in italics indicate telepathic conversation. :) (( Though I do believe you've already guessed that... :P ))_**

**_Enjoy :) _**

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**_Chapter Two:_**

Amy took a deep breath of the fresh afternoon air, enjoying the scenery around them with a happy sigh. The rays of the sun were shining through between the branches of the tall trees all around, bathing the forest with their beautiful light…How the young girl loved afternoons such as these. It made her forget all of her worries, all troubling thoughts washed far away as the whole world got slowly driven back into the background, allowing the wonders of nature to take its place for a while, relaxing and soothing one's body, mind and soul.

To Amy, there was something beautiful in each and every season of the year. Be the day ruled by warmth and sunshine or overtaken by rain and cold, Amy still managed to find a positive trait in all of them. These were the traits she aimed for when working with her camera, taking pictures with skill and precision, which usually received high praises from everyone who saw them. Gwen always told her the pictures she took were something special, not simply photos taken, but in each of them, Amy had a piece of herself embedded into the captured scene, pouring her heart into her work, making it all the more wonderful to look at. And every time she heard such kind words as feedback, Amy would beam with overwhelming joy and delight.

How many times she had heard how inseparable she and her camera really were. She had to chuckle lightly at these comments, especially since she knew very well how true they actually were.

Recalling these sayings, Amy smiled in the Sunday sunlight, lightly touching her trusty camera that rested inside one of her pockets once more. Indeed, there were hardly occasions she would've left the house without it…Gwen and the others were right after all.

Now however, she tried to resist the urge of taking it into her hands. It could wait…first, they had to make certain Gwen's frisky Pokémon were found and reunited with their master again. Thus far, there was no trace of either Fergie or Chika…

"Guess they have taken the other path after all…" she murmured to herself, stopping to take a look around. "Hopefully, Gwen is having more luck than we do…Right, Kira?"

Her Kirlia nodded absently, her scarlet eyes gazing towards something to their left, seemingly hidden among the trees.

"Kira?" Amy asked her again, frowning slightly as she bent down in front of her Pokémon.

"Why are you so silent all of a sudden? Do you sense something?" she asked again, following the Kirlia's gaze, but unable to see anything out of the ordinary in the surrounding forest. There was complete silence all around, only broken by the soft babble of Crystal River nearby…Amy knew, should they choose to leave the path they were on behind and walk a few more meters among the trees westwards, they would eventually arrive on the bank of the clear water flowing gently not far from the trail.

"What is it?" Amy urged on quietly, carefully watching Kira's features.

After a few more moments of silence, the Kirlia finally blinked her big shiny eyes.

"Kir…lia." she answered, taking a few cautious steps towards the trees.

"Aww, Kira, you know I don't understand Pokémon-talk very well…Could you repeat that in telepathy, please?"

Kirlia stopped in her tracks at her friend's words and quickly turned around, a slight trace of embarrassment written over her face.

"_Sorry…I think I felt something. Down there…Not far." _Amy heard Kira mentally saying, pointing down between the trees towards the river at the end of the slight incline. Kirlia turned around once again, looking up at Amy with an uneasy glance.

"_I don't like…Something wrong." _She said fearfully, as if sensing trouble nearby.

"Something wrong?" Amy asked with slight wonderment…a hint of alarm evident in her voice. Her Kirlia's senses were pretty sharp and sensitive; it didn't even cross her owner's mind to doubt the validity of Kira's warning.

"But it isn't Fergie or Chika, is it?"

"_No. Not them…but someone…"_ Kira replied, taking another careful step away from the path. Amy could clearly see now how nervous her Pokémon was.

"Well…if someone really is in trouble, the least we could do is to check what has happened. Maybe we could help out…Come." Amy took the lead, leaving the trail behind and stepping into the line of the tall trees, her Kirlia right beside her.

A minute later, Amy was starting to feel just as uneasy as her Pokémon did. She didn't really know why…probably it was due to the fact she was all alone in the middle of the forest with the small Kirlia as her only companion and they were about to boldly check out something not far of which Kira could only relay that something was wrong and somebody seemed to be in trouble…So practically, Amy had no clue as to what they should find once reaching the end of the incline. She even considered turning back, but she knew her conscience wouldn't leave her alone for one moment afterwards…if someone really needed help, as Amy came to believe was the case, she shouldn't be the one refusing to assist…

"Show me the way Kira… My senses aren't as good as yours…" Amy whispered, her concern growing as she still couldn't make out anything unusual in front of them, only the everyday characteristics of the woods.

"_Almost there…" _Kira's voice could be heard quietly, the little Pokémon sweeping along so closely to Amy's feet the young girl had to take extra care to avoid colliding with her small frame.

The rushing sound of the nearby river grew steadily louder as they slowly made their way forward. Amy knew they couldn't have been far…

Suddenly, Kira stopped dead in her track, with Amy almost tripping over her as a result.

"_I see something…I see it! Don't you see it?" _she spluttered with fright, one small, trembling thin arm pointing towards the line of trees that hid the sight of the river behind them…

Amy felt the hair on her back stand on end as she strained her eyes to see what Kirlia's have long since spotted…

She carefully took a few more steps forwards, reaching out with her hands to steady herself with the thin trunk of one of the trees as she leaned over some of the bushes in front…She could've sworn she had seen something beyond them; something…purple.

With her left hand, she brushed away a few branches to get a clearer view on the bank of the river…but what she saw there was a sight that would remain forever embedded into her mind, for the rest of her life.

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Amy let out a small gasp at the sight of the creature lying motionless near the water…It was a Pokémon; at least, Amy assumed it was. However, she had never seen this type before…or heard of it for that matter. The being she saw had purple skin all over, and a long tail of a deeper color, at least as long as its body's length, its tip touching the water slightly. Even in its lying position, Amy could guess it must've been easily two meters tall when standing upright… Its muscular hind legs and its whole body's build-up in general told her it probably was a creature that walked in a similar way like humans did. Its arms though, on the other hand, were extremely thin, with odd, three-fingered paws that ended in strange-looking orbs on the end of those fingers. Amy couldn't make out the face of the being from her current position…it lay prone on the ground, its arms outstretched, partially covering the view of its muzzle. All Amy could see were the creature's pointy ears… however; even the present distance between them was more than enough for Amy to notice: this Pokémon was injured; badly…

"Oh…my…God…" Amy stood there paralyzed for another minute, unsure of what to do. She was completely taken aback by the scenery…a cold shiver ran down her spine as she felt goosebumps appearing on her skin.

"Kira, you were right…What could've happened?" her voice was nothing more than a light whisper. There was no movement around; they were completely by themselves. Amy gulped back the unsettling feeling rising inside… Part of her wanted to take a closer look at the creature, to see if it was even alive…but the other part was shivering with fear at the thought of approaching it further, leaving the shelter of the trees behind…What should she do now?

"_Is it a Pokémon too? It is, isn't it…?" _Kira gazed over towards the being from between the branches of the brush in front of them, her eyes wide with shock…but then, her mental voice turned more concerned, rather than startled. _"It's hurt…"_

"Yes…and badly." Amy whispered back quietly. Her Kirlia's words moved something within her…her fear subsided somewhat, making room for a new feeling instead; anxiety…

Was that Pokémon even breathing…?

Amy gulped once more, trying to calm herself. She couldn't just stand there like that the whole day long, only a few feet away from an injured creature…She puffed lightly in order to ease her tension.

"You stay here Kira, alright? I'll go and take a closer look…"

"_Just careful…"_ she heard the Kirlia's faint warning as she took a cautious step out into the open.

Amy all but held her breath as she carefully moved towards the motionless body, her senses wide opened and alert for the slightest of movement…but there was nothing to be perceived. The creature did not move, nor did it give any sound. Nothing…there was nothing, and it made the young girl all the more worried.

Choosing each of her steps wisely, Amy approached the Pokémon with extreme caution. Somewhere, she was still afraid it could lash out at her if she made any sudden movement or noise…even though her mind told her it was rather unlikely for something like that to happen.

Soon, she was standing right besides the unfamiliar creature, her body tense and ready to jump as she took in the being's state further…and it quickly became evident to her that this Pokémon wouldn't make any sudden attacks any time soon…

Deep scratches and bruises covered its whole body and it had more than one wound that must have been bleeding rather badly before… Amy suppressed a gasp of shock as she looked at the creature's back that seemed to have taken the most beating… The Pokémon's fine skin was badly bruised, the light color distorted into deep purple and blue…especially by its scruff…Amy's eyes grew wide with wonderment as she noticed the way the creature's head and back were seemingly connected.

Amy shivered at the sight. It looked so…bizarre, that extension embedded between the shoulder blades…and what unsettled her even more was the way it was discoloured… from all the bruises, the ones covering this area of the creature's body looked really harsh…

Amy leaned in a bit further, trying to carefully take a closer look at the being's face…it could only be seen partially in the Pokémon's current position. To Amy, its features looked…serene. Its eyes were closed, as if it was merely slumbering…but…was that already an eternal slumber?

Amy shuddered at the thought and quickly dismissed it as well. It couldn't be…

With slight trace of alarm, the brunette kneeled down next to the being's torso, her hand moving to carefully touch the creature's slender neck in an attempt to find a pulse…her fingers quivered only a few inches from the Pokémon's skin.

"_Amy…"_ the small voice startled her slightly, but she immediately knew who it was calling out to her. She looked up to see that her Kirlia had left the shades of the bushes behind as well, glancing over towards her and the strange Pokémon from a safe distance away with worry and fear in her eyes.

"Don't worry… I'll just check its condition…" Amy mouthed softly, still afraid of talking out loud.

Then, she took one final, deep breath and tenderly touched the Pokémon's neck with the tip of her fingers…its skin was soft to the touch and Amy felt the caress of mellow fur against her fingertips. It was a pleasant feeling to touch such a smooth surface ...however, at the same time Amy could also feel how very cold the being's body was…and even though she didn't know anything about this Pokémon, she had a feeling that that couldn't have been a good sign… A moment passed, then another, with Amy never taking her eyes from the creature's face, but she received no reaction to her touch. The Pokémon remained motionless…however, to Amy's great relief, there was still life in the strange creature. Even though it felt rather faint, Amy could make out the pulse underneath her fingers. She gave way to a soft sigh at the revelation…"It still lives Kira…"

The Kirlia cautiously took another step towards her master, peering over to the big Pokémon lying beside her.

"_It lives...Will it be alright?" _she asked fearfully.

"I hope so Kira…I hope so." Amy said, her brow furrowed as she tried to make out the creature's breathing. With a little bit more courage now, she very carefully placed her palm on the being's bruised back, looking for the signs that would indicate the still Pokémon was breathing properly…a small smile appeared on her face as she felt the familiar rise and fall under her hand. They were small, quiet breaths, but breaths nonetheless…

"Alright…we won't be able to do much for this poor fellow all by ourselves… we would need Gwen's assistance as well." Amy murmured, trying to come up with the best solution for their predicament. Her gaze wandered over to Kirlia once more…the little Pokémon was still standing a good distance away from them, too fearful to come any closer.

"Kira, I want you to find Gwen and the others for me…Do you think you could locate them on your own? It has been quite a while since we took separate ways; I believe the one hour we agreed upon will be over shortly… so you should be able to find them along the way, if not sooner, than at the spot where we decided to split up. By the fork in the road…"

Kira nodded in response.

"_Yes, I can find them, but…What about you?"_

Amy smiled at the concern in the Kirlia's voice.

"I'll stay here with it till you return with the others…Don't worry, Kira. I'll be fine, I promise." she told her Pokémon gently, smiling as the small ballerina took another few steps forward to be near her owner again.

"_Yes, I know, but…" _

"Look honey, you're worrying too much. I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm not the one we should be worried about…now…" Amy's voice trailed off as her gaze wandered back to the creature that lay silently besides them…Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that its eyes had opened slightly while they were talking…Her Kirlia noticed it too and jumped back with a small cry of surprise and fright.

-----------------------------------------------

Amy stared at the Pokémon's face as if mesmerized… those eyes were of the most beautiful amethyst color she had ever seen. For a few seconds, the young girl got completely lost in the depth of that faint glance…even though the being's lids were only partially opened. Its gaze was unwavering; almost empty…its pupils unnaturally wide. It seemed it had regained consciousness, although just barely…

"Oh Lord…" an involuntary shudder ran through Amy's whole being as she tried to quickly regain her composure. It was okay…there was no danger…this creature was injured, it couldn't possibly hurt them in its current condition…and it needed help!

Amy gulped back her fears once more, her eyes never leaving those foggy amethyst ones…

"Kira, I'll be alright…Please, go and find the others. Tell them what's happened…and bring them here to help us, okay?" she whispered, not wanting to startle the wounded Pokémon.

There was a short pause, but Kira eventually forced herself to fulfill her master's request.

"_Yes…Just careful, please…We'll hurry." _she replied quietly and after a few more moments, the Kirlia's small form disappeared in the forest…leaving Amy all by herself by the strange Pokémon's side.

Amy watched her go, till she could no longer make out the Kirlia's figure. She took a deep breath to calm herself and slowly turned back to the fallen creature.

It remained motionless all along; as if nothing had happened around it…there was no reaction to Amy's presence and this made Amy feel uneasy…She cautiously leaned in a bit further to take a closer look at the Pokémon's eyes. They were opened, but…seemingly unseeing.

Amy fidgeted nervously for a moment, not liking what she had taken in stock thus far. Gathering all of her courage, she finally decided to try and rouse the creature somewhat…

"Hey…Ahm, hello there big fella'… Can you hear me?" she asked gently, bending down to the point where they were almost at eyelevel…Deep silence was her only response.

"Are you awake?" Amy tried again, a little louder this time, searching the being's eyes for any kind of reaction. "Can you hear me?"

She could see no change in the empty gaze at first…but after a few more seconds, she thought she had seen the purple lids tremble slightly for a moment…Amy's eyes lightened up with new hope. "Do you hear me?" she tried again, her hand gently touching the creature's shoulder once again. "If you do, please, give me a sign…any sign. Just so I'll know you're awake…"

A few more moments passed…and then, finally, the Pokémon blinked its eyes slowly, its purple brows furrowing a little as it slowly fought its way back to reality…its beautiful eyes opened again and this time, their gaze wandered over to Amy's face, trying to focus on the one who was talking to it…

A gentle smile appeared on the young girl's features, relief evident in her voice as she spoke again.

"Hi… There you go, see? It was about time you woke up. I was starting to get worried…"

The amethyst gaze rested upon her for a while, the Pokémon seemingly trying to comprehend what exactly was happening…but soon, Amy could feel its muscles beginning to tighten more and more under her touch as realization slowly reached it…it seemed it didn't feel comfortable with Amy's nearness, not at all.

A faint grunt could be heard as the being tried to move away further from the girl kneeling next to it, its features turning strained as the attempts of movement sent a tremor through its whole body…probably due to pain…

"Easy! ... Hey, easy there big guy…" Amy gasped with fright, trying to sooth the startled creature with her gentle words. She withdrew her hand quickly as the Pokémon moved…but soon, she placed it back onto its arm again carefully, in an attempt to convince the being to stay put.

"I'm just trying to help you if you'd allow it…you've taken quite a beating…"

Meanwhile, the creature managed to slowly roll over onto its side, but it didn't seem that movement did any good in its condition… it winced badly, a small gasp escaping its lips from pain and stress. Its head slowly sank back to the ground…it was about all the effort its battered body allowed at the moment. It opened its eyes to look up at Amy once more…

"My name is Amelia Arden…my friends call me Amy." the girl told it quietly, her hand still resting on its thin arm, her thumb giving a careful caress to the creature's skin in a soothing manner. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you…I only want to help you."

The being's gaze remained steadily locked onto Amy's for a long while…as if probing her to see if she was really telling the truth. It made the young girl shiver slightly…that gaze seemed to hold such deepness…such… hidden intelligence…She couldn't quite place it why, but it just didn't feel like the gaze of an ordinary Pokémon…

The lingering silence around was unnerving…but to Amy's great relief, she could feel the creature's body gradually relaxing again under her palm. A slow, great sigh left its lungs as the being finally closed its eyes again, exhausted from the strain it took for it to move around.

"There now…It will be alright…I promise." Amy told it, smiling with joy that she somehow managed to calm the Pokémon down after all.

-------------------------------------------------------

"You gave me quite a fright, you know that…?" she continued quietly after a short while, hoping to gain a little bit more of the creature's trust. "I was afraid you weren't alive anymore… You know, you sure are lucky my Kirlia sensed your presence. Otherwise, I don't know how long it would've been till somebody eventually found you out here in the wilderness…" The purple Pokémon lay silently besides her while she was talking. Its beautiful eyes remained shut this time and Amy wondered if it was listening to her at all. She didn't leave that to bother her though…she continued as if talking to one of her Pokémon friends.

"Well, I hope there will be a way for us to help you now that we have found you…My Kirlia should be back with more assistance soon. Once our friends arrive too, we should be able to think of something…" but Amy never got to finish her train of thought.

It quickly became evident how close the Pokémon had actually been listening… The purple eyes shot wide open with a start, a shiver rushing through its body under Amy's hand…

_""No…no more humans…"" _

Amy jumped at the sudden echo of the weak, deep voice inside her head. She let out a small cry of surprise as she stared down at the Pokémon, her eyes just as wide as its own.

"Oh my Gosh…You're…You're psychic…" she muttered with shock after finally realizing what was going on. "Hah, I had no idea…How come you didn't…"

The Pokémon left her no time to finish.

_""No…you don't understand…"" _the strained, mental voice broke into her thoughts and Amy suddenly felt the firm hold of one of the creature's hands on her outstretched arm. She suppressed a yelp as she stared back at the Pokémon, mouth slightly agape.

_""My existence…shouldn't be discovered…"" _it continued, its gaze bored into Amy's….Just then, she suddenly realized that the voice she was hearing was definitely masculine…

She stared back at the creature, unable to guess as to why he would be so afraid of being spotted by anyone…was he perhaps one of the Legendaries…? She could feel the Pokémon start trembling slightly…

"No, no, please, try to relax! Nobody's going to harm you, alright? There is just one other human girl with me in this forest, no one else. When I was talking about my friends, I meant her and our four Pokémon…there's no other human around for miles by my guess."

The Pokémon took a deep breath to stifle his shuddering.

_""It's enough that you have knowledge of me…it's bad enough…"" _

Amy tilted her head to the side at hearing that.

"Why? Would you be happier if you were all by yourself out here, with no one around to help you? … You can't be serious."

The Pokémon didn't reply at first. He puffed faintly a few times, his head gradually sinking back to the ground once more. He really seemed to be in a bad shape…

_""You don't understand…"" _he said again, a hint of sorrow creeping into his voice.

Amy regarded his features silently for a while…What could've happened to this poor fellow? Why was he so distrustful towards humans?

She tried to calm him once more.

"Well…you're right, I don't think I do very well…But I do know one thing for certain! My friend, Gwen, is one person you can trust without fear. She won't let anything bad happen to you, just like I won't. And if you really feel that way about humans…we'll do everything we can to keep your existence in secret…alright? But whether you like it or not, you're going to need some help…"

Amy found herself being regarded with the same probing glance as before as a response. She stood the Pokémon's gaze, wanting to show him that she was telling the truth…that he could trust her without fear. Amy wouldn't betray him…she was a person who was always true to her word. All she really wanted was to help him… If only she could somehow prove that to this creature as well…

Suddenly, to Amy's great surprise, the tension in the Pokémon's features dissolved somewhat and for the first time, he seemed to regard her with an easier glint in his glance…

_"" You can't prove it…not yet... but, it seems…I have no other choice but to trust you…for now... "" _

After a moment, Amy gave him a wry glance.

"Have you been listening in on my thoughts…? Heh, nice trick I must say…" and she couldn't help but smile mischievously. The Pokémon regarded her with a careful gaze. "I've got nothing to hide you know." Amy told him, stretching her arms out to the sides a little as emphasis.

The creature gave a shuddering sigh, as if in resignation, and Amy suddenly realized there was a small smile playing on his lips…

_**""**Maybe…though I still cannot figure…why you would help me…**""** _

Amy shrugged innocently.

"Because you're hurt, I believe. That's reason enough for me…"

The Pokémon gave her a glance Amy couldn't quite decipher…a kind of mixture of wonderment and disbelief, she guessed. It made Amy chuckle slightly.

"Ah, come now, don't give me that look. I'm not pulling a fast one on you or anything, I'm just telling how I feel, that's all…" she told him, her gaze wandering along the being's figure once more, trying to gauge the extent of his sustained injuries as best she could.

However, she stopped short as she noticed something on the creature's chest that had been hidden from view up till then…and her mouth opened wide with shock.

"Ouuch, that looks like a nasty gash…" she muttered, looking down at the wound that ran square across the Pokémon's chest, the rims scarlet red, probably due to infection…Amy had the hunch it could've been worse, but thanks to the natural build-up of the creature's shielded torso, the injury wasn't too deep. It did look nasty enough though…

"What ever happened to you…? And who was the one leaving that mark on your skin?" she asked, staggered by the sight…

The Pokémon followed her glance with his eyes. It took a few minutes, but he eventually answered Amy's inquiry with a tired sigh.

_"" I've had a minor conflict…with one of your kind…"" _his voice said slowly, and it wasn't hard for Amy to guess he was referring to a human…one extraordinarily wicked one by the looks of it. She could hardly believe it… it made her blood boil with rage to think anyone would be capable of hurting a creature this badly, only to leave it to die afterwards…

"And that wound…?" Amy urged him on gently after a while.

_""_… _Seviper_…_ "" _came the quiet response.

"A…a-a _what_?!" Amy cried out loud with fright. That gash was received from the attack of a Seviper?! Those Pokémon were highly venomous types…both their horrid fangs AND their sharp sword-like tails were coated with poison. And by the looks of it, Amy guessed this creature had taken quite a close blow from one of those sword-tails not long ago…

"But…if what you say is true then that means…" she now had a rather clear clue as to what was causing the fiery redness around the Pokémon's wound…

"Oh dear…You need medical attention and you need it fast my friend!"

He could hear the alarm in her voice and he most certainly knew perfectly well how serious his state really was at the moment…yet, Amy couldn't trace the same anxiety as her own in his quiet features…

_"" It isn't that bad…just a scratch…"" _he muttered faintly, but his calm tone didn't fool Amy for a second. She leaned in closer to the Pokémon again as she realized the change in his voice…his speech was starting to get slower by the minute and Amy could once again make out the extent to which his pupils were dilated…Amy guessed, partly from experience, that this must've been the sign of a concussion, knowing of the blow his head must've taken earlier…judging by the bruises on his scruff…Frankly, Amy was surprised he even had the energy to communicate with her telepathically this long in his current condition…

"Yeah right, just a scratch…you're just forgetting that tiiiiny little fact that it's a venomous one, no doubt…" she scolded lightly, regarding the Pokémon's features.

_"" How would you know…you don't look like a doctor…to me…"" _he whispered mentally, his eyes closing more and more to Amy's great dismay.

"Oh, and what makes you think I'm not one, huh?" she asked him somewhat playfully, trying to keep him from passing out…she didn't want it to happen. She was afraid if he did, he wouldn't be able to wake up again…

_"" Hm…I have my ways…I have…Ugh…"" _he groaned softly, unable to continue. The effort of telepathy finally took its toll on him and he grimaced painfully, clenching his eyes shut…Amy looked at him sadly, suddenly feeling incredibly guilty about making him speak this long when he should've rather been resting instead…

"It's alright, try to rest for a while…if all goes well, we shall have assistance shortly…" she told him, giving his cold arm a gentle stroke to show him, she would be by his side.

_""I don't like this…They…shouldn't…They…I…"" _he was starting to shiver really badly now, which caused his breaths to turn into quiet spurts.

With the idea suddenly hitting her, Amy quickly slipped off her jacket from her shoulders, tucking the Pokémon in with it as best she could…hoping it would give him at least a little bit of warmth and comfort.

Feeling her careful touch, the creature forced himself to open his purple eyes one more time; his quiet glance locked onto Amy's once more…

_"" You…Why, why are you…why do you…"" _he tried again to speak between shudders, but Amy's gentle voice stopped him.

"Leave it for later partner, okay? You should save your strength now…you're going to need it if you'd like to get well again…"

Amy moved a bit closer to the wounded being, lying down next to him on the ground, no longer afraid of him…"Just tell me one more thing, please…Do you have a name, hm?" she asked him tenderly.

The Pokémon regarded her quietly for a long while…but eventually, he summoned his remaining strength to answer her question before unconsciousness claimed him once more.

_"" I…I am called…Mewtwo…"" _

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_**Theeere you go...The mysterious Pokémon finally revealed :P I had such a great time working on this chapter...Hope you'll like it too :)**_

_**Oh, and whether it shall be a Mewtwo x OC fic...Hehe, read on and find out :D**_

_**Bah... wouldn't show the wavy line I originally meant for indicating Mewtwo's thoughts... x( Oh well...Double quotes should do the trick just as well... :)**_

**_Have a nice day everyone :D_**

**_See you later!_**

**_- Kirlien - _**


	4. Chapter Three

**_Hello everyone! Update time again:D _**

**_Thank you all who have reviewed:D You make me really happy:D And to all of the new readers... Welcome aboard:)) _**

**_Yeppers, I'm trying to make this story as realistic and believable as it could possibly be. :) So I'm hoping I'll be able to do a good job... :P_**

**_Now, on with the newest chapter! Hope you'll like! Enjoy:D_**

**_Ps.: Oh, before I forget... Sentences written with these (( "..." )) markings indicate the inner thoughts of the person. :)_**

**_Now, have fun reading! ;D_**

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**_Chapter 3:_**

About half an hour later, the white van was already en route to the "Spivok-residency" with top speed. However, this time it was not Amy who was sitting in the driver's seat. Gwen finally took it upon herself to take over the steering wheel, while her friend stayed behind in the cargo hold, keeping watch over the wounded Pokémon…

Gwen was still having trouble to fully perceive what they were actually doing. The shock she felt after getting her first glimpse at the fallen creature still hadn't subsided…they have stumbled upon a specimen she simply couldn't identify; and that thought, after years of living together with her uncle under one roof, was most unsettling to the young girl. She could hardly wait to ask for the professor's assistance and hear what he'd be able to tell them about this being they've decided to help out...

It hadn't been easy to support the injured Pokémon back to their car… He was swaying in and out of consciousness, which left the two girls half leading, half dragging him along the path with them. Amy and Gwen took extra care to cause him the least stress possible, mindful about his injuries…but even with the helping vines, wings and paws, it was pretty difficult for them to move along. They were proceeding at a very slow pace…and time was something they sensed they didn't have much. Along the way, both of the girls had made the vow several times that they would never leave home again without having at least one Pokeball with them in their pocket for the ride. During their time together with their Pokémon friends, they had simply grown too used to the fact that their partners were running around freely around them most of the times…and after a while, the Pokeballs were simply…left behind. And that one single habit had cruelly avenged itself on them this time.

However, luckily, it wasn't just the girls who sensed they were moving along too slowly…to her master's great surprise, Kirlia eventually decided it was time for them to speed things up a bit. With the swift usage of teleportation; which, even though she would've never confessed it, had consumed a rather large amount of her energy; Kira managed to spare the group a good amount of further walk in the woods and moved them all safely back to the borders of the forest within the blink of an eye. Amy never knew her Kirlia had the strength in her to teleport so many people, that is two humans and four Pokémon, all at once…Kira was still beaming at the praise she had received afterwards, the heavy toll of exhaustion she felt all but disappearing for a few minutes.

Sadly, the Pokémon they were trying to help out wasn't faring so well… Amy regarded his languid features with ever growing anxiety. With her back pressed against the inner side of the van, she let Mewtwo's limp body rest against hers, his torso propped up slightly. Amy's gentle arms were wrapped around him carefully so as to steady him, trying to provide a more comfortable posture for the trembling Pokémon instead of leaving him to lie completely on the hard floor. She could feel the gaze of the other four Pokémon as they were glancing over to them silently from the opposite corner of the cargo hold, curious, but at the same time somewhat fearful towards the new fellow traveler; yet, her chestnut eyes never seized their watch over the wounded creature lying in her arms.

Mewtwo's body was cold to the touch. His paws held a firm hold onto Amy's jacket that was still wrapped around him, as if it was the only thing that would keep him from freezing over…He looked very pale, his teeth chattering faintly once in a while, even though Amy could see how he tried to stifle the inner shudders that overtook him time and time again. She didn't have any specific knowledge about the effects of a Seviper's venom…but she did have the suspicion that it was definitely the one that was wreaking such havoc in the wounded Pokémon's system…It felt horrible for her to simply sit there like that, unable to do anything to aid him besides attempting to warm him up a bit as best she could…

"_Oh Lord, I just hope the Professor will be able to help him…We cannot let him die! Not after forcing him to come with us all this way…It couldn't have been in vain…" _

"Mewtwo…Don't give in, you hear me? We're almost there… Professor Spivok will know what to do, he can help you…Just please, hold on a bit longer…" she pleaded softly, giving him the gentlest stroke on the cheek with her trembling hand.

She didn't really know why , but even though she only got to know this Pokémon a few hours ago, she already felt like she had known him for long years…and she was just as concerned about him as she would've been in case of her own Kirlia or Beautifly… She didn't want him to die. The mere idea of watching him fade away in her arms made her freeze with fear.

"I won't let anything happen to you, you hear me? I want you to live…Please, hold on just a bit longer…" she whispered, wrapping her arms even more protectively around him…and to her greatest surprise, she could feel him snuggle closer to her slightly as well, a quiet, shuddering sigh escaping him as he tried to warm up a little… It was an unconscious movement; yet, it made Amy smile gingerly…

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_Cold…He could barely feel anything different besides the chilling cold…His whole body felt eerily numb, unwilling to obey his feeble attempts of any kind of movement…Should any of his senses, so sharp and alert not so long ago, awoken…the only feeling they could've perceived were the painful reminders of his last duel…one that has had a surprisingly miserable defeat in store for him…how it had come to all of this at all…even though he wanted to, he wasn't in a condition that would've allowed him to fully process it…to find the point where everything he thought would be an easy match, had gone so terribly wrong…_

_He wasn't even sure of the present anymore…He hadn't gotten such a heavy beating ever since fighting his way out of the prison of Giovanni's foul machineries…He wasn't sure where he was…or where he was going…and with __**whom **__he was going…He felt they were moving, but whenever he tried to open his eyes and take a look around, all he could perceive were blurred shadows…and the relentless throbbing he felt in his head and near his scruff was making him dizzy to the point of nausea…but the worst part of that pain was caused by that badly bruised extension between head and back…repeatedly sending waves of remorseless ache down his spine whenever he tried to stir…And despite all of this, he did try, every time he came round somewhat…_

_There was one thing though he knew to be painfully certain; that he was, once again, among humans; the one species he would've all too happily avoided for the rest of his life…yet once again, it happened. And he didn't even have a clue what kind of folk it was that crossed paths with him this time…_

_He wanted to know…he desperately wanted to know…who they were…what was going on around him…_

_Through the foggy mists, he could hear a faint voice calling out his name…telling him not to give in…to hold on…A new current of freezing cold made him shudder badly._

"_**I won't let anything happen to you, you hear me…? …I want you to live…"**_

_Who was speaking? ... Where did that voice come from …It was gentle, almost pleading… _

"_**Life…is wonderful…"**_

_He could feel something warm around him…some kind of…soothing warmness…He shivered again, his whole being mentally clinging to that feeling…He didn't know why…It was just…so…comforting…_

_And before even realizing it, he moved a bit closer…just a bit…unconsciously wanting just a bit more of that soothing feeling…_

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Gwen felt like she had just suppressed the record of her past speed limits…Leaving a huge whirlwind of dust behind, the family van took the last curve on their way home…a few more minutes and they would arrive.

"Oh man…I just hope Officer Jenny wasn't planning to drop by our neighbourhood this afternoon…" she mumbled, shivering at the thought. Just a few more minutes…

After a long while that seemed like eternity to her, the house of her uncle finally appeared in the distance. To Gwen's eyes, the neat cottage had never been this beautiful before…

"Home at last…"

She couldn't remember ever feeling this grateful about living in the faaaar outskirts of the city. Gwen had taken Amy's warning seriously; nobody besides Prof. Spivok was allowed to see this creature, not that day…and that was just what Gwen intended to hold on to. She reduced the vehicle's speed to a tolerable measure, driving carefully on the even trail of the road in order to avoid any unwanted attention…they now had a private business to settle here.

"Furret?" a tiny little voice came from behind and Gwen reached back over her shoulder to pat her Pokémon's head fondly.

"It's okay Fergie…we've arrived." she told him quietly, steering the van safely into the garage after opening the door with the push of a button. A few more moments and the humming of the engine died down as well.

"Welcome home everyone." Gwen sighed with relief, taking a few more seconds to ease back into her seat, waiting for her heart to start pounding at a slower pace…Then, she took a deep breath and with new resolution, she jumped out of the vehicle, walking back to open the doors of the van... a mixed feeling of intrigue and anxiety rising in her chest as she reached for the handles.

"Alright, how did everybody fare?" she asked as she peeked inside the cargo hold, forcing a faint smile onto her face…However, that smile quickly turned into a worried frown.

"How is he?" she asked quietly, searching her friend's sombre gaze.

"Alive…but not very well." Amy's reply could be heard, her voice equally quiet as that of Gwen's.

"Okay…you stay here with him till I find my uncle…and I have a pretty good clue where to catch him too." Gwen said and promptly disappeared out of sight, with her Furret and Chikorita following close behind.

Amy sighed deeply, her hands nervously fumbling with the hem of her jacket that was still wrapped around Mewtwo's shoulders… She wanted to get him out of this van and into a more comfortable position as fast as possible.

There was a slight nudge at her left elbow; Amy immediately knew who it was. She looked down at her Kirlia with a fond glance, moving one of her hands carefully to give her a gentle caress on her head. The little Pokémon looked back at her with worry in her eyes.

"Don't worry honey…All will be well, you'll see."

The slight fluttering of colourful wings indicated her Beautifly's nearness as well and the next moment, she could already feel Boe's careful landing on top of her head.

"You've been a good Pokémon too…You haven't left Gwen's side for a minute, just as I asked of you. Good boy, Boe…" she told him softly, unable to reach up to pat him in her current position; but her words were more than enough to please her little friend.

A few moments of complete silence followed, easing the young girl's silent tension a little…however, the same motionless silence made another individual beside them stir lightly, causing Amy to lean over a bit further again to check upon the injured Pokémon.

"It's okay Mewtwo…We have arrived." she whispered quietly, not wanting to startle him, but wanting to let him know he wasn't alone nevertheless.

The Pokémon, just coming around, barely had the energy to lift his head at Amy's quiet voice…but he did so nonetheless. Bringing a trembling paw up to his eyes, he attempted once more to rouse himself back to reality.

At long last, Amy could once again hear his faint whisper inside her head.

_""Where …where are we…""_ he muttered, wincing slightly in Amy's careful embrace.

"You are in our home Mewtwo. This is the house where Gwen and I live. Besides us, there is only one other person living here. He is Gwen's uncle, Professor Spivok. If all goes well, he'll be able to help you twice as much as both of us could…" she told him, trying to encourage him at the same time.

_""Who…""_ The Pokémon winced again, straining to keep his mind alert enough to keep up with Amy's telling.

But no further explanations were necessary…

"Amy…" a faint, startled gasp made everyone in the van turn their head towards the opened doors. There stood an elderly man, his eyes round and his mouth slightly agape with shock and surprise. He was in his early fifties, the first signs of age only showing in the form of a few silver strings in his otherwise jet black hair and beard. Friendly, greyish-green eyes sparkled behind his glasses. All in all, with these common features, the resemblance between uncle and niece was remarkable…

"Are you alright my girl?" Professor Graham Spivok asked with the hint of concern evident in his voice as he carefully made his way up into the cargo hold.

Amy greeted him with a warm smile.

"Sure Doc, I'm fine." she told him quickly. "I'm not the one in need of assistance…"

She could see he was wearing his usual favourite white coat, indicating that Gwen had once again caught him in the realm of his build-in lab in the basement. With his current attire, Amy somehow found him rather resembling a doctor than an actual scientist.

"Ah yes, of course!" the professor said, leaning forward carefully to take a closer look at their new visitor. "I've heard the news from Gwen…So, this here is the injured Pokémon you've found in the woods, yes?" he asked quietly, regarding the purple creature with interest.

Mewtwo could feel the unfamiliar human's glance on himself. He had heard him approaching, talking to Amy, kneeling down not far from them…and the nearness of this new, unknown individual made him uneasy once again.

The next moment, his eyes opened to look upon the newcomer who had joined them and it almost made him jump as he saw how close the blurred form had actually come to them…but then, as he managed to clear his view for a second with the help of a blink, he could suddenly make out what the figure besides them was wearing…

The white lab-coat registered in an instant, triggering an almost dizzying display of all too vivid memories in his mind, making them resurface with full force. The glass tube filled with fluids…the laboratory around him…the beaming faces of a whole group of scientists, each of them eager for success and overwhelmed by the prospects of further experiments… on HIM! … Within the wink of an eye, his muscles tightened and his whole being became tense like a guitar's chord.

Amy noticed the change in his demeanour immediately.

"No-no-no, Mewtwo, relax, please! This here is the professor I've told you about. He's a good friend, he won't harm you…" she whispered to him quickly, trying to ease the Pokémon's nervousness. Though somewhere, she had been expecting this…She had feared this would happen on their first encounter with Graham.

"Mewtwo?" Gwen's uncle asked, sending a curious look towards Amy. "Is that its name? How did you…"

"He's psychic, Graham. He can communicate with others through telepathy."

" Really now?! That sounds incredible…" the professor whispered, diverting his amazed gaze back to the strange Pokémon. "That's a rare trait among Pokémon…I thought your Kirlia was the only one in our neighborhood that was able to do something like that…"

The statement made Amy grin widely and she exchanged an amused look with the aforementioned Pokémon. "Well yes, I thought so too…"

_""Amy …Hush…"" _the whispered thought stopped the girl in mid sentence. She glanced back at Mewtwo, seeing how he bore his hazy gaze into that of Graham. At first, she didn't understand…but the answer soon hit her with a powerful jolt. ((_"Of course…he doesn't want me to tell all the details I know to someone he doesn't trust…yet." ))_

She gave an automatic nod as she realized what the wounded Pokémon wanted from her.

"Alright…I believe this isn't the right time or place for this… Graham, can you help him? He has been injured pretty badly…and there was a…"

"Seviper? I know…" Graham cut her off, a deep frown crossing his features as he promptly pushed his many questions into the background at Amy's words for now, concentrating at the more serious task at hand. "Gwen already told me the brief summary."

"Oh…" Amy breathed, grateful for her friend's swift thinking.

"We'll need to take him inside…Gwen is making a place ready for him as we speak."

Mewtwo winced slightly at hearing that, but Amy wasn't really sure why. She could tell he didn't like the idea too much…

Graham leaned in a bit further, looking straight into the Pokémon's distrusting eyes as he addressed him.

"Are you able to stand up my friend?" he asked him with a calm, but serious tone.

The creature blinked at his choice of words to him, but it was far from enough to garner any of his trust; one that he didn't give easily to anyone. His glare at the human kneeling in front of him intensified.

"Mewtwo…" Amy tried quietly, her arms, still wrapped around him, giving him a very gentle squeeze. Yet, no reply came. "Nobody will harm you here. You are safe with us, I assure you."

A slight snort could be heard as a response. ""_Safe…""_ he scoffed lightly, shaking his head once with scepticism.

"Mewtwo, I gave you my word." Amy told him yet again, with a little more force than before.

"And if I give somebody my word, I give it everything I've got to keep that word valid." She continued after receiving no reaction, her voice steady and stern. There was no mistake…she meant what she said.

After a few more moments, Mewtwo finally turned around carefully and glanced at her from the corner of his amethyst eye…Indeed, she wasn't kidding. He blinked again, his features easing somewhat, letting the slightest traces of wonderment shine through for a second.

"Let's get inside then, shall we?" she asked him again, with a considerably more gentle tone than before…And finally, to her great relief, he nodded his head slowly in approval.

----------------------------------------------------

The short distance between garage and parlour seemed like long miles for the injured creature to take; yet, he forced himself to cover that distance on his own shaky feet. He didn't want human eyes to see him that weak, despite his serious condition. He would _**not **_give that pleasure to anyone…he already felt miserable enough. He wasn't used to the need of relying on others' help…especially on that of humans…and even less on that of those who were complete strangers to him.

Currently, Amy was the only one in the group whom he felt could actually be trustworthy… to some extent. There was something in her demeanour…in her voice…in her eyes, that told him he _**could **_trust her; even though he still felt rather uncertain about the credibility of that feeling…but he didn't really have the strength to ponder on these thoughts any longer, seeing that he needed all of his concentration to keep his balance while carefully moving up a small set of stairs with Amy's and Graham's support. It was unnerving for him…having two humans so close to himself, but with the young girl's constant encouragement, he did his best to tolerate it. He knew, to his great dismay, that he didn't really have any other options to take…

By the time they've reached their destination, Mewtwo's legs were threatening to give way any second and the Pokémon was once again trembling badly from ear to toe. Beside him, Amy did her best to keep her composure, although the expression on her face gave away how scared she really was. She feared for the Pokémon's life…and the glance she had exchanged with Graham told her the professor didn't like what he saw either. They needed to act quickly…

"Let's lay him down here…" he heard Graham say and within short moments, Mewtwo felt himself sinking down into something soft, warm and very comfortable. His eyes opened with surprise, trying to take in his surroundings…Where was he?

"I got to hand it to you Gwen, I almost envy him." Graham told his niece with a smile, watching the Pokémon ease back into the soft embrace of the pillows and blankets. They were in the relatively small, but all the more cozy guestroom of the house, their patient now lying on the comfortable double-bed of the chamber. Amy almost had to chuckle at the incredulous expression on their new friend's face, watching as Mewtwo blinked his eyes a few times, as if not trusting they were relaying him the truth…he's had many ideas of what that "place" the humans were referring to could've been…but somehow, this possibility never even crossed his mind…

---------------------------------------------------

A few more minutes later, Graham Spivok was already on his way to the Pokémon Center, greatly hoping he would have the time to return with the antidote for the Seviper's venom before it was too late…

It had taken a while for the two girls to convince him that bringing Nurse Joy along with him on his way back wouldn't have been such a good idea…Of course, Joy's experience with Pokémon would've helped them greatly, but that look of terror Amy had seen on the creature's face when she had mentioned involving other humans as well was still very vivid in the young girl's memory. Eventually, Graham had to agree with the others that it wouldn't have helped much to bring additional assistance if the very Pokémon they wanted to help out didn't want any of it…and getting him upset would've only been fuel on the fire. For Mewtwo, it was essential now to stay put…

Finally, though reluctantly, Graham gave in and quickly made his way to the van, leaving the two girls behind with the instruction to clean the Pokémon's many cuts and gashes as best they could…and he had no doubt of their ability to do just that. Both Gwen and Amy had learned the basic know-how of First Aid a few months ago, from none other than Joy herself. Graham trusted their knowledge, and after equipping them with plenty of gauze, disinfectant and swift advices, he set out to get the supplies they needed…and hopefully some further counsel from Nurse Joy about the matter that could help them further as well.

After his footsteps in the hall faded, Amy and Gwen both sighed with a mixture of both relief and resolution. It seemed they would have a little peace around for the time being…a silence that was both calming…and unnerving at the same time.

"Boy…we're gonna' need a lot of that gauze…" Gwen muttered quietly, her gaze resting on the Pokémon's silent form. Amy nodded her head with a sombre hum, taking a few careful steps towards the bed. What they saw could've actually been considered to be a funny little sight, if it wouldn't have been for the creature's worsening condition…While the three of them were quickly discussing the course of necessary actions, Mewtwo had curled up into a tight purple ball, his long tail rolled firmly around him. He lay there in complete silence, rather resembling a huge purple cat than a psychic Pokémon, light shudders rushing through his figure now and then, only the faint sound of his slightly laboured breathing audible.

Amy sighed once more, clenching the clean cloth in her hand tightly. She made her way over to the motionless Pokémon, her friend following close behind. She carefully sat down next to the purple ball on the bed.

"Mewtwo…" she tried to rouse him patiently. There was no response at first; Amy tried again, worried that he might have lapsed back into unconsciousness…but after her second call, to her great relief, the Pokémon stirred slightly, slowly revealing a beautiful eye to them that looked up at Amy with a tired glance.

"Mewtwo…we'll need to clean those nasty wounds of yours if we want you to heal." she told him gently, an apologetic look in her eyes as she saw the fatigue in the Pokémon's features.

"But in order for us to do that properly, you'll need to give us some room…" she continued, motioning with her hand in a way that signaled for him to straighten his body a bit.

Mewtwo regarded her for a while longer, his gaze drifting down to the gauze and cloth in her hand. A deep sigh escaped him, but he knew it was for his best…Slowly, he rolled over a bit further, exposing his wounded chest as requested, stretching his muscular legs out slightly.

Amy could hear Gwen's low hiss as she took a closer look at his injuries.

"Won't be pleasant…" she murmured, walking over to the other side of the bed for better approach. "Is it okay if you take that… big one?" she asked Amy hesitantly, a little discouraged by the sight.

Amy gulped slightly, but nodded her head nonetheless. "Sure…no problem."

She reached for the bottle of strong antiseptic.

"Now, Mewtwo… This will probably smart rather badly, but it will help your wounds to heal faster and fight off any kind of infection." she said quietly, leaning over him with the wet gauze in her hand.

The Pokémon closed his eyes and nodded slightly, telling her he understood and accepted what was about to come.

Holding her breath, Amy carefully brought the gauze down onto the reddened gash on his chest. As she slowly began to clean the wound, she could feel his muscles tightening, but he didn't utter a sound; he took a deep breath, held it in for a while longer and pressed his lips together firmly, his eyes clenched shut, but there was not one sound of pain to be heard from him…

(("_Now there's a strong Pokémon…"))_Amy thought with a small smile, taking care to cause him as less pain as possible.

Seeing how he approved to the procedure, Gwen sat down on Mewtwo's other side as well, starting to clean up the scratches on his arms and legs.

And throughout the process, the Pokémon remained silent, following the girls' instructions without question, taking in slow, quiet breaths while trying to ignore the painful sting in his wounds as best as possible…


	5. Chapter Four

_**Woopsie...Sorry about the longer pause back there folks...I was on holiday with my best friends and was away from home, thus unable to update sooner. :) **_

**_Now however, I'm happy to give you...my newest chapter to "More than just Shadow"! ;D_**

**_Hope you'll enjoy this addition as much as you did the previous ones and once again, thank you VERY MUCH for all the kind reviews! D I'll do my best to keep this story on the scale it is right now, that's a promise... ;D :P Hopefully, I'll succeed:)_**

**_Okies, enough of me talking now and offff with the tale once more! ... Better brace yourselves, people... Our hero's not out of trouble's reach yet... :O_**

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_**Chapter 4:**_

"There, that should do…" Graham murmured, carefully administering the injection, emptying the doze of antidote into the wounded Pokémon's vein.

The two girls stood not far behind him, observing his doing with an uneasy glance.

Amy would've happily diverted her gaze from the scenery; yet, even though she hated needles, she couldn't bring herself to look away this time. Her eyes remained glued to the injured creature lying motionless on the bed…

With a great sigh, Professor Spivok straightened up again.

"How long has he been like this?" he asked the girls without turning around.

Gwen gulped silently, hearing the tone of his voice.

"He…he lost consciousness sometime while we were tending to his wounds…"

Amy nodded quietly, swallowing back the small lump that started rising in her throat. She didn't like the way they were doing…how Mewtwo was doing…

It hadn't been long ago, actually, when the Pokémon finally succumbed to his weakened condition…Amy and Gwen were in the process of carefully tending to his bruised back when they suddenly felt his body going gradually limp under their touch…After that, Mewtwo couldn't be roused anymore and ever since, the two girls were torn with anxiety that perhaps they were the ones responsible for him loosing consciousness again…However, Graham tried to calm them down gently.

"It isn't your fault girls. It isn't anybody's fault…He has been very weakened by the Seviper's venom in his bloodstream… Perhaps it's even better for him this way. His body is attempting to store as much energy it can from what he has left…by practically shutting his senses down, in order to help him survive longer…" he explained to them quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed next to the silent creature. "You two have done all you could to help him…and I must say, you've done a remarkable job!" he told them, his eyes gleaming proudly as he looked up at Gwen and Amy.

Indeed, thanks to the girls, Mewtwo now lay peacefully on the double-bed, tucked in neatly with the blankets Gwen had brought to the room earlier. His many cuts and gashes were all hidden from sight, thanks to the smooth, clean bandages covering the Pokémon's whole body. His wounds have all been well tended to and Graham admired the girls' work with a pleasant smile.

"Not even Nurse Joy could've done it better." he told them with a wink, his hand gently motioning towards the Pokémon's chest that was now all but fully covered by the white gauze.

Gwen and Amy exchanged a sheepish glance, a small smile finally forming on their features.

"Will he be alright, now that you've given him the serum…?" Amy eventually spoke up, her gaze wandering back to Mewtwo's still form.

Graham replied with a heavy sigh to her inquiry.

"Let us hope so my dear, let us hope so…"

"The next 24 hours will be decisive for him. If he has enough strength within him to fight off the poison and the possible side-effects, he should be well on his way to recovery." the professor told them quietly while shooing them out of the room with his gentle arms. "It is up to him now. All we can do is wait…and see what happens."

Amy didn't like the sound of that at all and she didn't want to leave Mewtwo's side yet neither…but in the end, she reluctantly allowed Graham to lead her out of the room along with her best friend, telling them that what their Pokémon patient now needed the most was a nice, peaceful rest.

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About an hour later, Gwen was wandering around in the chambers of the cottage, in search of her friend who had swiftly disappeared without a trace after dinner…At first, Gwen thought she must've taken refuge in her room for a while after the events of the day, but when she carefully entered Amy's domain, the brunette was nowhere to be seen. After about five minutes of fruitless hunting, Gwen stopped dead in her tracks in front of the guestroom's door…She had already suspected where she would most likely find Amy, but she didn't want to barge into the chamber without knowing it for sure…Now however, there was no doubt about it anymore…

Gwen quietly pocked her head inside the dimly lit room, her eyes slowly adjusting to the silent shades.

"I'm over here Gwen…" She almost jumped at the low whisper coming from one of the distant corners. Carefully closing the door behind her, her eyes finally found her friend sitting upright in the huge chair near the bed, her arms tightly wrapped around her legs which were pulled up against her chest. Amy looked over to her with a small smile.

"What's up?" she asked Gwen quietly.

"Heh, I should be the one asking that from you." the raven haired teen told her with a faint grin, strolling over to her. She took a kneeling position on the carpet in front of her friend.

"You have been very quiet all throughout supper…Are you sure you're alright?" Gwen asked her gently, silent concern showing in her features.

"Sure, I'm fine." Amy answered with the same smile, which was anything but cheerful.

"I'm just…worried, that's all." she added after a while, her eyes slowly returning to the bed.

Gwen turned as well, looking over at the silent Pokémon under the covers. He seemed to be sleeping deeply, but Gwen's eyebrows soon furrowed as she heard how slow his breathing had become…his breaths came at a steady pace, but they were rather laboured, each of them resembling a deep, heavy sigh more than a normal respiration…

Gwen shook her head slowly and turned back to look at Amy once more.

"I know you're worried, I'm worried too, but…" She caught the dull glance Amy was sending her way and quickly tried to summon a reassuring smile on her face.

"Look, the way I see it, this Pokémon seems to be a creature with a lot of strength in him. I'm sure he will manage it, he won't give in that easily, you'll see…" she said cheerfully, hoping to brighten her friend's mood somewhat.

"Yeah, I know…I'm hoping for the same." Amy whispered, returning Gwen's gaze with a sad smile.

Gwen shook her head again, sending a fond glance at her adopted sister.

"You never fail to amaze me…You're doing it again."

Amy blinked back at her with slight traces of confusion. "Do what?"

"We hardly know anything about this mysterious creature and yet, you've already closed him into your heart." she told her softly.

"Oh!" Amy puffed with a faint chuckle. "I know, maybe I shouldn't be this concerned about someone I barely know like I am right now, but…" her face gradually took on its serious air again. "I was the one who found him, Gwen…Kira and I were the ones who found him, all by himself and wounded…" she shuddered at the memory. "I couldn't just leave him there to…to die."

Gwen smiled at her reassuringly.

"Yes, you were the one who insisted the most that we should bring him back home with us and ask my uncle to examine him."

"Well, now we know what would've most likely happened to him had we decided differently…" Amy shivered once more at the mental image. "It is difficult to explain, but…you see…I was there when he first came round…I was there with him in the van…I helped him up the stairs and into the room with your uncle…I was talking to him the whole time, trying to keep him here with us…" There was a short pause. Amy took a deep breath and looked into Gwen's eyes again. "Practically…like you've said…I was the one who insisted. I made him take that agonizing journey through the countryside; I was the one who told him over and over again that he should come, that it would be alright, that we could help him… and now, I would so like to make good on my offer." She sighed deeply, resting her chin on her knees. "I feel responsible for him, Gwen. I just do…"

After another pause, Gwen shook her head yet again, her fond grin doubling in size.

"Aw Sis, you're just like an overprotective mother sometimes…" Amy burst out in low laughter at her gentle words and this made Gwen smile all the more merrily. "Your children will be lucky ones." she added playfully, receiving a small push from Amy in return.

They remained silent for a while, both of them lost in recalling the unexpected twists that peculiar Sunday has had in store for them…

"Do you feel uncomfortable about it…?" Amy asked after a while. Gwen gave her a puzzled look as reply. "I mean…about bringing Mewtwo here with us…" she added, an uneasy glint shining in her eyes.

"Oh! No-no, of course not…I'm just, well…" Gwen scratched her head with a nervous smile, but eventually, she calmed herself down and continued. "I think I was a bit apprehensive at first…You see, it kinda creeps me out to have a strange Pokémon in our home of whom we know…well, practically nothing! Not even my _**uncle**_ can determine its species… I must admit, I felt goose-bums on my skin when he declared that to us at the table…"

Amy looked at her knowingly and nodded her head in agreement. "Well yes, it is strange…he must be of a very rare type." she muttered.

"Indeed…" Gwen glanced back at her with a mixed expression, not really knowing what to make of the whole scenario…yet, her features soon calmed down again and she gave Amy's arm a gentle squeeze. "Well…I'm still glad we could help him out though. He needed assistance, and we were there at just the right time, at just the right place, to give him that assistance."

"I did not regret what we did." Gwen told Amy with a smile, a really sincere one this time. "It feels good to know we did as much as we could for him."

For the first time, Amy's face lit up, her features calming completely and she returned the friendly squeeze of her friend's hand, smiling from ear to ear with relief.

"Thank you…" she whispered.

"Oh come now…it was a pleasure." Gwen replied with a playful wink.

---------------------------------------------------

During the evening, Graham paid several visits to the little dorm, checking upon Mewtwo's condition. Amy, who, despite Gwen's many attempts to coax her out of the room, had stayed right beside the unconscious Pokémon the whole time, watched Spivok's every move with worried interest. The expression on the professor's face never left its serious air while he was inspecting the creature's state and seeing that made Amy all the more uneasy.

Finally, she made her way over to Graham's side, looking down at their patient with anxiety.

"How is he doing, Doc? Will he…will he be alright?" she asked him quietly, her voice shaking somewhat.

The professor gave her a thoughtful gaze, and Amy caught the sombre glint of his eyes.

"Well, actually…judging by his current condition…I would say I have both good news and some bad news for him." he answered slowly, stroking his beard while contemplating the odds. "You see…Good news is, the antidote has taken up the fight with the venom in his system. I can tell that much for certain."

"Really?!" Amy peeped with new hope sparkling in her eyes. "How can you tell?"

Graham sighed quietly as he regarded the Pokémon's features once more. "I can tell by the reaction of his body…his temperature is rising; which, however, holds the bad news for him at the same time as well. Should his fever reach a height that his weakened system can't handle anymore…he could die from it just as easily."

Amy stared at him with huge chestnut eyes, startled by the sudden news.

"Oh…" she managed to mutter as she plopped back down into her chair. That was not exactly the result she was hoping to hear…

"Amy." Graham said with a fond sigh, walking over to her slumped form.

"I'm not saying he doesn't have a chance to heal. I'm just saying it might be a little tougher for him now than we have originally thought…But trust me, I can tell he is a strong Pokémon. I'm sure he'll make it." he told the young girl with a wink that was so much like the one Gwen always liked to send her way. The thought made Amy smile a bit and she nodded her head at Graham's words, hoping, praying that he would be right…

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She refused to budge from her place… Each time she would try to leave the room for just a little while, the horrible visions appearing in her mind of what she might find when returning later would soon guide her back to the side of the injured being once again…Eventually, she volunteered freely to spend the night in the guestroom, looking after Mewtwo regularly to see how he was faring. Before going to bed, Graham brought a basin full of fresh, cold water with a couple of towels and cloths, setting them down on the nightstand next to the bed. He showed Amy the spots on the Pokémon's body where the cold poultice would prove most useful when dealing with high fever and together, they administered the compress right away, feeling how warm Mewtwo's forehead had become.

Although she did her best not to show it, inside, Amy was frustrated beyond measure. It was so unfair…Not long ago, the poor creature was still shivering from intense cold, the blankets around him providing what felt like the only refuge for him. And now…now he had to face the extreme opposite of that very feeling as hot fever overtook him more and more. It was just so unfair…Amy had no idea who the persons responsible for this Pokémon's suffering could possibly be, but she greatly hoped, for _**their **_sake, that they would never have the misfortune of crossing paths with her any time soon…Her body shook with rage each time she thought about it. How could anyone be so…_**cruel**_?!

She took a deep breath, suppressing her desperate anger for the time being. She had much more important things to concentrate on…

Soon after, Graham left the room, wishing Amy good luck for the night, promising he would check in every second hour to see if everything was alright. The professor decided to spend the night on the couch in the living room, just outside the guestroom to be near should anything go wrong later on…and Amy was immensely grateful for that.

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It was already past midnight, but Amy was still far from finding even the slightest urge to go to sleep…

She was sitting quietly on the double-bed, watching over the wounded Pokémon. Every now and then, she would check the cloths used for compress, dipping them back into the cool water again should they feel too warm or dry…and as time passed, the process had to be repeated more and more often.

The brunette sighed as she replaced the cool cloth onto Mewtwo's forehead, tenderly wiping away the slight traces of perspiration… She felt extremely tired after all the happenings of the long day, yet, she was still wide awake, her watchful gaze resting on the purple creature's serene face. He was so far away…far in a deep sleep where Amy's reassuring words couldn't reach him…Yet, he looked so peaceful, his features so calm in his deep slumber.

Amy couldn't help but smile as she studied him. Though his appearance might have been considered as strange and out of the ordinary, his features were delicate…In fact, Amy found him to be cute. Indeed, he almost had a handsome face, if one could talk in such a manner in regards of Pokémon…Amy though, she felt it from the start that somehow, he was not just an ordinary Pokémon like most of the others. Sure enough, each of the little creatures was a unique, lovable individual with its very own characteristics…but Mewtwo, he seemed to be even more different from the rest of them. Amy knew this for sure ever since their telepathic communication…He had such amazing intelligence, it was clearly radiating from his intense gaze whenever he lifted his glance at the young girl…and when he spoke, Amy always had the feeling as if she was actually talking to another human being, instead of a Pokémon!

Sitting beside him on the bed, Amy shook her head in disbelief as she contemplated these thoughts…how could a Pokémon be so…human-like?

"Mewtwo…What are you? ...Who are you?" she whispered faintly, her fingers brushing against his cheek slightly in a soothing motion…She felt so sorry for this unfortunate being. She would've liked to hear his psychic voice inside her head again. How she would've loved to talk to him again, like one talks with a really close friend…How much she wished to find out more about this mysterious being they have invited to their home…But whether that opportunity would ever come, at all…it was still uncertain.

She gave way to yet another deep sigh and Amy finally got to her feet to stretch her stiffened muscles…She gave in to the tingling in her throat and yawned sleepily, looking over at the little alarm clock on the nightstand. It was almost one am…

(("_A little rest won't hurt either of us…"))_ she thought, feeling sleepiness slowly finding its way to her after all. She sat back down into the huge armchair in the corner, enjoying the softness it offered to her tired body. She curled up into a comfortable position and finally closed her eyes for what she thought would only be a few short minutes of relaxation…

Soon, she was sleeping soundly like a child.

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As one being eventually found her way into the realms of peaceful slumber however, another one gradually found himself walking down the path that would lead him to the world of his most horrid nightmares…

Mewtwo stirred slightly in the shadows of the room, his expression darkening as the mists around him slowly started to take up new forms…

_He was standing on a cliff, seemingly on top of the world, admiring the beauty of the sunset in front of him, the scenery around quiet and pleasant. It vaguely reminded him of a similar view…one that he saw many months ago, on top of Mount Quena._

"_This place is…beautiful." he sighed mentally, feeling the slight stab of both happiness and sorrow in his heart. "But…what right have I to judge?…I was not born in it like others…I do not belong in this world…" _

"_**Indeed, my friend…How right you are!"**__ a sinister voice suddenly tore into his mind, startling him. He spun around swiftly, only to find himself standing face to face with the most despicable being he had ever come to know in his entire lifetime…Giovanni._

"_You again…Haven't I erased your memories thoroughly last time we met?" he spat with disdain, glaring at the smug human with anger in his eyes. _

"_**You can try to deny it as long as you wish Mewtwo…but you will never be able to change the obvious fact, my friend!" **__Giovanni continued, not even bothering to acknowledge his words. __**"You…belong to me. You…are my property. You…belong to Team Rocket!" **__he sneered, the hideous grin on his face making the Pokémon's fur bristle on his back. _

"_You know darn well I will never submit to you, Human! __**Never!**__" he growled threateningly. "I shall bow my head to no one's authority. You __**cannot **__conquer me!"_

"_**Ah, but Mewtwo…I already have." **__the human announced, a menacing glint burning in his dark eyes. _

_The next moment, the atmosphere around them disappeared, transforming into the shadowy picture of a dreadful laboratory. The Pokémon jumped slightly, taken aback by the sudden change around him and before he could catch up on what was happening, he found himself in the close ring of a group of scientists…a group of very familiar scientists. _

"_No…" he muttered, shivering inside. "You are long gone…I…I was the one who had done it! I saw you perish…"_

"_**Oh, did you now…" **__the leader of the robed men jeered, his face partly obscured by shadows. __**"Well, you better reconsider…We are here, aren't we?"**__ he motioned towards the others, who all snickered evilly in response. __**"Here to reclaim what is rightfully ours…" **__the scientist added in a low tone, taking a step towards the encircled Pokémon. All around him, the other figures did the same…_

"_No you don't! I will not submit!!" he cried again fiercely, his nervous glance stabbing daggers into the people surrounding him. "I am a free being! You cannot force me! I will allow no human to take me!" He wanted to summon his powers to fend off the figures that were now steadily closing in on him, coming threateningly close…but he felt nothing…the familiar rush of his psychic force was missing. Completely!_

"_**We were the ones who created you…You belong to us, Mewtwo. You know it yourself…you can never get rid of us! We are here to reclaim you…our creation…our experiment!" **__the scientist went on, his voice becoming deeper and even more menacing with every single word. And soon, his followers joined him in an unnerving chorus. __**"Creation…Experiment… Ours…Ours…OURS!"**_

_He had no place to go…He was totally encircled by the maddening mob. They were all reaching for him, greedy light shining in each of their dark eyes. No matter how he tried, he couldn't escape them…His powers wouldn't waken…they were completely gone! He was defenseless! Fear gripped his heart as he felt himself going eerily numb in the menacing circle, his body gradually seizing to obey his will…and beyond the shadowy group, he could hear Giovanni's wicked laughter._

"_**You are mine Mewtwo…once and for all!" **_

_His body suddenly felt like freezing in place. He wanted to bolt, to run…to kick, to hit, to fight himself out of the humans' grasp, but to no avail… His limbs grew incredibly heavy, seizing to respond to his desperate attempts of breaking free. It couldn't have been real…It almost felt like…_

_He looked down at himself with a start, realizing from where the familiarity of the sensation was coming from…Step by step, shade by shade, the outlines of his old armor started to materialize on his body, the heavy steel fastening on him with such tightness it felt as if the very air he was breathing was getting gradually squeezed out of his lungs…He could hardly feel his limbs anymore, barely able to move them under the weight of that foul suit…_

_The chest- plates of the armour appeared out of nowhere, fastening themselves onto his torso without effort, and with a force that made him gasp painfully, terror coming to life in his eyes as his vision got more and more blurred by the materializing shields of his helmet…Horror gripped his whole being like a vice, and as the humans around him reached out to grab him, the remaining air in his lungs left him in the form of a loud cry of fright and anguish._

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All of a sudden, Amy was roused from her sleep by a strained groan coming from the shadows…She brought her head up abruptly, her disoriented gaze searching for the source of the noise. It only took a few moments however for the small whimpers to register, fully bringing her back to reality and she quickly jumped from her place with fright as her eyes settled on the delirious Pokémon nearby…

Mewtwo, lying so peacefully earlier, was now writhing in agony, his body matted slightly into the fabrics of the blankets around him. He was panting heavily, his breaths coming in painful wheezes. He was sweating fiercely now, his head rolling gently from side to side and his paws were desperately groping the sheets next to him. He was trembling from ear to toe once more and his movements resembled the feeble attempts of someone who was desperately trying to shake himself free of something horrid…something which, in this case, was only visible to him alone…

"Oh my God…" Amy mouthed with shock, rushing to the struggling Pokémon's side, two horrid possibilities surfacing in her mind with dizzying swiftness…Nightmare…or seizure?!

"Mewtwo! Mewtwo, what's wrong?" she spluttered fearfully, trying to gently rouse him. She barely dared to touch his shaking form, afraid of scaring him even more. "Mewtwo, wake up…Whatever it is that you're seeing, it isn't real, you hear me?! You're having a dream! Come on, Mewtwo, please wake up…"

But her terrified words remained unheard…She still couldn't break through the thick walls of stupor Mewtwo had lapsed into! The Pokémon whimpered again, his back arching painfully as his fight against the unknown continued…Amy took hold of his shoulder, shaking him as much as she dared. "Hey pal, this isn't funny…Don't do this to me, you hear me?! Snap out of it!"

But it was no use…His eyes remained clenched shut and as Amy leaned over him, she suddenly realized that it wasn't just sweat that was running down his face…Her heart took a painful leap as she saw the tears streaming down his cheeks, soaking the pillow under his head. ((_"Oh God, please…What am I supposed to do?!" ))_

She felt tears welling up in her own eyes as well in despair and she tenderly reached out to grasp the Pokémon's grouping hand beside her…To her shock, that simple touch must've broken through to him somehow after all, for as soon as her hand took hold of his, his paw immediately moved to the side, his trembling fingers wrapping around hers with a strong hold…She glanced down at the sight with startled wonderment in her eyes; a wonder that swiftly turned into new resolve. She was going to wake him, if it was the last thing she did…

"Alright Mewtwo, I know you can hear me! Listen, whatever it is that's haunting you…It's _**not **_real! You must convince yourself! It's not real! It's just a stupid dream! Wake up and it will go away! Please, Mewtwo, you must wake up…"

His head lolled to the side again, away from her, and he exhaled heavily with a great, stressed sigh. Amy could see his eyes moving under his closed lids, indicating that he was, indeed, trapped in what seemed like a horrid nightmare.

"Meeew…" Amy suddenly heard him muttering. It was so faint, it was barely audible…but her tense senses caught it nonetheless. "Meew twoo…" These strained words were the first ones Amy ever heard him utter in his own voice. Great pang gripped her soul at hearing them, his weak pleas of salvation…

"That's it…I won't let this happen. Not now!" she said, gritting her teeth in frustration. With one swift motion, she flung her free arm over to the nightstand, dipping the cloth that had long since fallen from Mewtwo's forehead back into the basin with a splash. "Mewtwo, you _**must **_wake up!" Bringing the soaked cloth back over the Pokémon's head, Amy clenched her hand into a painfully tight fist, wringing a great amount of fresh water out of the fabric and with a sudden downward motion, splashed the fluid onto the Pokémon's face with a shrill yelp. "_**Snap out of it!!!**_"

As soon as the cool sensation hit him, Mewtwo's purple eyes finally popped wide open, accompanied by a loud gasp of shock as he got jolted back to reality. He was panting fiercely, panic glowing in his features as his gaze frantically darted to each and every corner of the room, not recognizing his surroundings at first.

Amy quickly reached out to him with a trembling hand, gently touching him on his cheek and diverted his glance towards her till the shuddering Pokémon's eyes finally locked onto hers with a start.

"It's okay…It's alright, Hon', you are safe now, you hear me? It was only a dream, a bad dream! You're safe…" she whispered to him, her voice cracking with both relief and fear. Tears were flowing down her face, her heart still throbbing painfully from scare and she could hardly bare the sight of such intense horror in those amethyst eyes that were staring back at her, still clouded by fright and distress.

Mewtwo blinked hard, trying to identify the blurred figure of the girl beside him…His head was throbbing incredibly, making the world around him spin. His chest ached from within and his lungs felt like bursting from the struggle they had taken in his fitful sleep earlier…He could still feel the painful pressure of that armor on his body… Finally, another blink cleared his view somewhat, just enough to make out the female's features…Visions of the past day slowly returned to his mind, the forest, the van, the house…and realization finally clicked into place within him.

"Mew…" he breathed shakily, not even noticing that it wasn't his mental voice he was using this time…but to Amy, it told more than any other words could possibly have.

"Yes, yes it's me…Welcome back purple one." she replied in a hoarse whisper, smiling through the tears that had finally overwhelmed her. The next moment, she carefully closed Mewtwo into a soft hug, sobbing into the Pokémon's shoulder, her hands gently caressing his burning skin. "Oh you…Don't you _**ever **_give me a fright like that again, you hear me…" she murmured between sobs, trying to stifle the shudders that went through her body as she slowly started to relax again.

She could feel a tremor rushing through the motionless Pokémon's being as well, a wheezing sigh escaping him as he lay there in her tender arms…His shoulders began to shake ever so softly, and Amy suddenly realized that he, too, was quivering with barely restrained sobs… He was weeping quietly, burying his smeared face into Amy's soft hair, seeking refuge in her soothing embrace…He suddenly felt doubtful about whether he was, indeed, back in reality…Never before did he experience something like this feeling. He never knew anything about what it meant to hug someone, or to be hugged by someone…or even, that such a thing as a hug even existed…It was so alien to him; and yet…it felt good…so incredibly good, so soothing…he never wanted it to end…

A few moments passed without movement, when Amy suddenly heard the slight noise that was coming from the opening door of the chamber.

"Amy? … My Gosh, what happened?" came Graham's startled voice from behind, who had also been awakened by the young girl's cries of fear.

"He…he had a nightmare…I think…a pretty horrible one…" she managed to peep out, just barely lifting her head from Mewtwo's shoulder to give an understandable reply to the inquiry. "I…I could barely rouse him, Graham…" she sobbed, clenching her eyes shut tightly as new tears started to swam into her vision. She could feel the mattress's form shifting underneath her, indicating that Graham had sat down next to her onto the bed as well. A strong, yet gentle hand touched her back, giving her a soothing rub to ease the flow of tears that were still keeping their hold on the teenager. This was definitely the worst fright she had received in long years…

"Relax dear; it's alright now…You've managed to bring him back. He will be alright now…" Graham tried to assure her, his gaze wandering over to the Pokémon who lay limply in the young girl's arms, all cuddled up to her, shivering slightly. "Yes, he will be alright…"

The professor waited a few more minutes, leaving the two to relax a little further. He then stood carefully and with experienced, yet very tender movements, checked their patient's condition to make sure he was out of danger's reach. Afterwards, he left the dorm to retrieve something from the living room. Amy lifted her head gingerly when he returned, seeing that he was holding a new needle in his hand.

"I'm going to give him a small doze of tranquillizer. It should help him relax again after the shock and provide a peaceful, dreamless sleep for him for the rest of the night." he told her quietly, kneeling down next to them.

Amy nodded her head in understanding and slowly backed up a bit to give the professor more room…That garnered an immediate reaction from the Pokémon, who slowly reached out to grab hold onto one of Amy's arms with a soft hold, not wanting her to leave him unprotected. That motion almost caused the brunette to break into tears again…

"Relax Mewtwo, I'm not going anywhere…Graham will give you an injection to help you sleep well again. All will be well, you'll see…" she spoke to him gently, her hand never seizing to stroke his head soothingly while the professor administered the sedative. Mewtwo winced slightly at the stab in his arm, burying his face into the pillow with a small whimper of fatigue. He felt himself all the more drained after that ordeal…but Amy's gentle caress made it easier for him to bear it all…

"There, that should do." Graham said quietly, giving a gentle rub to the Pokémon's skinny arm. "Give it a few more minutes and he will be sleeping soundly once more."

"Thanks Graham…" Amy whispered gratefully, smiling up at the elderly man with the first signs of ease showing on her face.

And indeed, just like the professor had foretold, after a short while, peace was starting to slowly return to the chambers of the Spivok-residency.

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**_Well...How did you all like? ... Did you like?? ... Please send me a lil' note and let me know! ... Before I get too anxious:P_**

**_Thank you in advance and see you all later! ;D_**

_**- Kirlien -**_


	6. Chapter Five

_**Hello fellow readers:D **_

**_Back with another update, yep, yep... ;P _**

**_Oh wow...I would like to thank each and every one of you who have reviewed!! It makes me so very happy to know so many of you liked my last chapter!! -- hugs -- Your kind words really made my day:D :D_**

**_Now, I'm trying to give it my best not to mess things up too much in the future... :P I greatly enjoyed working on this latest chappy as well. Just hope you guys will like it too... ;D It's a little shorter than the previous ones, but I believe all the more important, since this is where the first impressions are made...Well, just read on and find out, okies:P_**

**_OH! Before moving on, I would like to answer to Gojira4life, who had made a very good point in one of his reviews...Indeed, Mewtwo's injuries were surprisingly serious, even though we all know what powers he truely possesses. But hey...who said anything about there being ONLY one Seviper...? ;D Nope, nope, that Pokémon was the one from which he had received the most horrid blow, but certainly not the only creature involved in that battle in the preview. ;)_**

**_Alright, I better stop myself before giving away too much...that would be spoiler-category now, wouldn't it:P All will be properly explained once the time is right. :) ... Even though you people will just have to wait a few more chapters till that'll happen. :P After all, there's a reason why I labeled the story as "Suspense"... ;D_**

**_NOW, enough of all the talking!!!! And on with the tale:) Have fun reading!! _**

**_- Kirlien -_**

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_**Chapter 5:**_

Next time Amy opened her sleepy eyes, the guestroom was bathed with beautiful sunshine, light streaming in through the big windows. She had no idea how long she must've slept, but judging by the energy of the sun, it must've already been well around 10 am…not that it would've bothered her. There was no worry of getting up early in the time of the autumn holidays anyway.

She was about to roll over onto her back for a nice stretch, when the low sounds of steady breathing stopped her movement. Quickly turning her head to the side, her face lit up with one of the happiest smiles she had ever smiled…

Mewtwo had survived the night. He lay there right besides her, his breathing calm again, his features peaceful once more; though Amy could still make out the traces of last night's struggle on his tired face. But it didn't matter anymore…Mewtwo was alive and well and that was the only thing that mattered.

Amy raised her head slightly, taking a closer look at the Pokémon's condition. She wanted to make sure he really was alright now…Carefully laying one of her palms onto his slightly damp forehead, she checked his temperature again… giving way to a very small, but all the more joyful chuckle as she felt that his fever had definitely declined during the early hours of the morning. He still felt warm to the touch, but that was nothing anymore, compared to last night when he was all but burning up while fighting against the demons in his sleep…

"You are alright, Mewtwo…You are finally alright…" she whispered with relief, giving him a caress on his cheek carefully. She could tell he was still sound asleep; he reacted well to the sedative Graham had given him the other night and it didn't take long for him afterwards to fall asleep again, this time without the haunting images that had almost scared the living daylight out of him earlier…Amy never left his side after that. She herself had drifted off soon, still holding Mewtwo in her arms lightly…

Now, taking a closer look at their position, Amy had to stifle her arising mirth as she saw how Mewtwo had literally curled around her sometime during the night, his long, slender tail enclosing her gently, practically resting across her legs. It seemed her presence soothed him, even in his sleep…something he didn't want to loose overnight. Amy eased back onto her pillow, feeling light as a feather; finally, she felt certain about it that Mewtwo would eventually recover. Just like Graham had told her, the first 24 hours were decisive for him…and the larger part of that time interval, he had bested!

With that reassuring thought, Amy once again made herself comfortable under the cover, sending a fond smile in the slumbering Mewtwo's direction. Instead of getting up, she decided to rather settle back into a light doze for a while longer, not wanting to risk awakening the exhausted Pokémon with her moving around yet…

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_Faint images…Incomprehensible sounds…voices…low and distant…Familiar…yet, alien…Blurred visions…Strange pictures…Where was he…?_

Slowly, very slowly, he emerged from the darkness he had fallen into, his deep-purple eyes opening slightly to gaze into the real world around him again…

The first thing his stirring mind recognized after finally awakening was the presence of another individual beside him. Lying there on his side, he had full view upon the human female, resting quietly next to him…At first, he was certain he was hallucinating. There was barely any human in the world who would've had the courage to stay this near to him like that…or more accurately, there was practically nobody he would've allowed this close to himself in the first place…So how come he was not the least unnerved by her closeness this time?

He blinked his eyes in slight wonderment, but the vision did not go away…in fact, it started to stir, her chestnut eyes opening slightly, squinting over at him in the morning sunlight. The next moment, her young face lit up with a happy smile as their eyes met…it was real.

"Hey! Good morning, sleepy head…" she said quietly, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Feeling better today, hm?"

Mewtwo blinked his eyes again at the inquiry, still somewhat disoriented after his deep slumber.

_""I…I guess…"" _he mumbled faintly, regarding the girl with slight traces of surprise as her beaming smile suddenly doubled in size. He couldn't possibly know what a huge delight it really was for Amy to hear his psychic voice again…

_""You…How…How long have you been here…?"" _he asked her with the small hints of puzzlement still present in his tone.

"With you?" she giggled quietly at his expression. "From the very beginning…You've had a rather tough night. We were starting to get really worried about you."

_""Wh…Why?"" _he murmured, closing his eyes swiftly afterwards as he felt a stab in the back of his head…It was still rather difficult for him to form the telepathic words, especially with the throbbing headache he had been feeling ever since that collision with the ragged side of the cliff. ""_What…exactly happened last night?"" _he managed to utter, bringing a paw up to rub his tired eyes carefully.

"Well…you've had a really high fever which needed to be kept under check…and, geez, I don't know what kind of dreams you must've been having as a result, but that was definitely the worst case of struggling with a nightmare I've ever witnessed in my entire life." Amy told him with a suggestive expression. "You scared me half to death when you didn't respond…It took me quite a while to rouse you out of it."

Mewtwo raised his glance at her again as she concluded her short summary of events, slightly confused by the news.

_""Was it really that bad?"" _he asked quietly, not really remembering…a second later however, his eyes grew wide as the images suddenly popped into place in his memory as well…of what had really taken place. ""_Oh wait…it was.""_he corrected himself dully, vaguely recalling the smaller details…of both dream and reality. Thankfully though, Amy didn't question him further about what exactly he had seen in his delirious state…something Mewtwo was immensely grateful for.

_""You …You were there too…I remember your voice…your face."" _he muttered faintly, his gaze meeting the girl's eyes once more. ""_But, how come…you stayed? Why…Why were you helping me at all?"" _he asked her more loudly now, his brows furrowing in confusion. He couldn't fathom it…that was so uncharacteristic! She was a human! Humans normally didn't care about others beside themselves…

Amy only smiled back at him serenely.

"I believe you've already asked me that question before…I'm not one who would simply sit back and enjoy herself while somebody near her was in trouble. I wanted to make sure you would be alright…and should I have done differently, believe me, I would've damned myself with the most haunting type of guilt for the rest of my remaining lifetime." she added the last part of her statement with the most serious expression Mewtwo had ever seen on a human being's face. And then, she said something that almost sent the psychic creature tumbling off the bed… "Besides…I wanted to help you because I cared, Mewtwo."

Several minutes passed in silence after that answer…the psychic Pokémon's staggered gaze locked firmly onto Amy's for a long while. She could tell he was completely taken aback by her reply…only, if she only knew why…

Finally, with a great gulp, Mewtwo seemed to have found his voice again.

_""I…I must confess I wasn't exactly expecting such an answer."" _he muttered, still somewhat shocked. ""_…I thought…"" _

Amy regarded him with a fond smile. "Why? What was it that you thought, silly?"

Mewtwo blinked his big purple eyes, diverting his gaze away from her, deciding to rather examine the folds of the sheet instead. _""_… _I don't know what I thought…"" _he finally said with a great sigh. His eyes closed once again as he huddled himself up even more. _""Nobody…__**Nobody**__ would've done such a thing for __**me**__…It's so……Somehow…You are so… different from the rest of them…Unique…Just like that one human who…who decided to help me out once…"" _he spoke quietly after a longer pause, his words barely audible…but Amy caught them nevertheless.

"Trust me, there are more similar people in the world…They are just more difficult to find I guess." she told him soothingly, seeing his darkened expression.

Mewtwo didn't reply for a very long time after that…He remained motionless in his slightly curled up position; the very tip of his tail the only limb moving once in a while in a very cat-like manner as he silently contemplated what he had heard… Amy regarded him patiently, giving her best not to giggle out loud when she felt the small tickles rushing up her leg, due to the Pokémon's absently moving tail.

Eventually, she sat up on the bed carefully, preparing to finally leave the comfortable covers behind and allow for a new day to start. She glanced back down at the Pokémon who was now following her movement with his gaze.

"Try to get some more rest for now, alright? And promise me you won't make yourself upset again with such heavy thoughts. Besides, you'll have plenty of time to reflect on such things later on if you so wish…though if you ask me, I would rather leave them be if I had the choice." she told him with a smile, hoping to snap him out of his gloomy, ruminative state a bit.

Mewtwo remained silent still, though Amy could see her words got through to him. Eventually, he gave way to a small sigh of resignation, his posture relaxing somewhat once more. He had to admit, she did have a point… It wasn't really doing good for his aching head to get himself frustrated anyway… yet, it still felt incredibly hard to simply clear his mind of all the troubling thoughts chasing each other around in there at the moment…

_""Where are you going…"" _he asked quietly as he saw her walking over to the door. He didn't even know why he cared, but he asked her anyway…

"Just to freshen up a bit, getting something to eat, telling the others about your improvement… Well now, would you look at that, I bet anything we have just slept half of the day over!" she replied, her voice full of mirth. She could hardly wait to tell Gwen and Graham about the good news…

"My friends will be overjoyed to hear that you're feeling better!"

Mewtwo winced a bit at hearing that enthusiastic undertone…What was it with these people anyway, keeping him in the center of attention like that? He didn't show it, but inside, he felt extremely uncomfortable about it…He wasn't sure what their reason for all this could've been, and some of the possibilities his troubled mind brought up made his blood chill…His grim experiences with the human species made him feel edgy in their environment and the fact that one of these persons was, in fact, a man of the fields of science didn't help him relax one bit…Suspicion steadily took hold of him once again with an iron grip, which only grew as Amy gradually moved away from him and prepared to leave the room; and again, he realized just how little he truly trusted these creatures.

"You must be hungry yourself I trust. How 'bout I bring you back some breakfast, hm? … Though first you'll have to tell me what kinds of food a Pokémon like yourself prefers."

Amy's cheerful inquiry snapped him back to the present. Mewtwo shook his head slowly, not feeling the least bit thrilled by the prospects of a meal.

_""No thanks…haven't got the appetite…"" _he murmured, diverting his gaze away to the white wall of the chamber.

Amy regarded him with a surprised look, but her features soon switched over to ones of understanding.

"Oh… I see. Alright, I wouldn't like to force it, but…You really should eat something, just a small snack if you would. It would definitely help you regain your energy faster." she pointed out with a reassuring nod, even though she knew Mewtwo couldn't see the motion.

She waited a while longer, but deep silence was the only answer she received…

"Aw alright…If that's the way you want it, fine with me. But you won't be able to keep me from looking up some nice edibles for you nonetheless." she finally spoke up, a small smile returning to her face as she opened the door behind her.

"I'll be back in a little while. You just make sure to get as much rest possible, alright?" she told him kindly before exiting the room.

The door of the guestroom closed quietly and after long, Mewtwo was left alone in the stillness of the dorm, feeling more stranded in uncertainty than ever before…

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_**There ya go, another chapter completed...Yaaaaaays:D**_

**_Hope you all enjoyed...See you again soon and Please leave reviews:))_**

**_- Kirlien - _**


	7. Chapter Six

_**Hello everybody:D**_

**_Time for another update... :P Once again, I would like to thank each and every one of you who have reviewed...and I would like to say extra thanks to WiseAbsol for her extensive comments. :)) They really gave me a lot to ponder about...I would especially like to thank you for pointing out your thoughts about Mewtwo's tone in my last chapter. _**

**_My original idea was that after long months of living in complete solitude, plus his past experiences, the display of such care towards his person from Amy would even take him aback, especially if we consider the fact that he had just reawakened after his ordeal the previous night... I could imagine him in that state pretty well. :P_**

**_Nevertheless, I must say, you had a very good point there...and I shall take extra care to keep that in mind during my future work with this story. ;) It may grow harder with time, once we move further with the events, but this definitely was, so to say, a lesson I won't forget. :) _**

**_Now, on to the newest chapter:D And please, don't forget about our hero's ever present suspicions while reading...I believe it might take a little while till he and Amy can have another similar conversation like the one they had last time. :P_**

**_Hope you'll enjoy and don't forget to review:D_**

**_- Kirlien -_**

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_**Chapter 6: **_

Troubling apprehensions or none, it didn't take long for the exhausted Pokémon to find his way back into the realms of sleep again after his short conversation with Amy…and the bigger part of the following days were spent in similar stillness. Amy found it incredible how much a creature such as him could possibly slumber in a row. But of course, she knew the reason for it all too well. Mewtwo was gathering his strength…

His pale complexion gradually regained a healthier look as time went by, which they all found to be a reassuring sign. Though, his condition still restricted him to bed and Amy would've also preferred if she could've forced him to take more nourishments than he presently did…With fluids, there was no problem. However, the food Amy brought him was mostly left untouched. He would occasionally nibble on some fruits and biscuits, but that was about the entire amount he ever took…no matter how Amy tried to lecture him about the importance of eating decent meals.

She didn't much succeed in trying to converse with him some more neither…Mewtwo had been quite reticent in the last few days, mostly replying to only the necessary questions and even then with a nod or gesture rather than actual words. It always saddened Amy when he behaved so negatively…Especially since she wasn't the only one who tried to plant the seeds of trust into their relationship with the Pokémon. Both Gwen and Graham came frequently to check upon the purple one's state, introducing themselves to him properly under calmer circumstances as well… Mewtwo acknowledged their presence, but that was about all the response they received from him. He always regarded them with the same hard, probing gaze that sometimes sent shivers down Gwen's spine…It seemed he trusted them even less than he did Amy, a perception that was firmly embedded into his mind and Amy could somehow sense it wouldn't be easy to change his opinion about the matter any time soon…

"I just don't get it Gwen…We were starting to get along pretty well the morning he returned to our circle of the living. But from there on… Puff! Deep silence and distrusting glances…" Amy murmured to her friend, gesturing with her hand now and then as she summarized her concerns.

"Yeah, I could see that…I swear; that Pokémon gives me the shivers sometimes!" Gwen frowned as well, biting her lower lip in anxiety. "Every time he raises that piercing gaze of his at us I feel like bolting…"

"Don't tell me you're afraid of him." Amy looked over at her with a surprised stare. They were once again sitting outside on the small veranda of their home, discussing one of their most favourite topics of the latest days.

"No way! Not me…At least…I try not to." Gwen reluctantly replied, fidgeting a little. "Aw man…Let's face it Amy, he's quite a wild one…I mean, you don't have to be a genius to realize he hasn't crossed paths with humans too often in his past…Well, not in a very friendly manner anyway…"

"That's just the point Gwen! It's due to one of our kind after all that he had to suffer such severe injuries in the first place!" Amy grumbled out loud, that dark look reappearing on her features that by now Gwen knew all too well. She could tell the brunette was still deeply frustrated about the fact that some people would actually go this far…

"I know, I know…But we belong to the good guys, don't we? We never intended to harm him!" the raven-haired teen lamented with a pained expression. "I just wish Mewtwo could see that too…" she added with a sigh.

Amy voiced her agreement with a low hum, diverting her sombre gaze downwards as if finding the fading green of the grass under their feet greatly interesting all of a sudden…Eventually, it was Gwen who spoke the truth both of them were clearly aware about.

"Well, guess he needs more time for the wounds to heal…both the physical _**and **_the internal ones…" she muttered faintly, garnering a deep sigh from Amy. She couldn't have agreed more…

"Indeed. That's exactly the way I see it…It will need extra time till Mewtwo would be ready to willingly accept our presence…not to mention trusting us a bit more afterwards as well, perhaps…"

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The house was particularly silent around him that day…Not a sound to be heard from the rooms near his, everything quiet and motionless…Just the way he preferred it to be.

Mewtwo lay on the soft bed without moving a muscle; his gaze bored into the ceiling high above him…His senses took in the stillness around with satisfaction. Perfect silence…exactly what he needed.

Slowly, the dark pupils of his widely opened purple eyes started to narrow as he concentrated, gradually drifting away from the surrounding world…He was focusing deeply, all the nervous cells in his system filling with one purpose only…to trigger the ability Mewtwo most wished to reawaken within himself…

He sighed softly, carefully releasing hold on his environment even more, to the point where he could almost fully disregard the increasing pain in his head, which was still a constant escort of his regular attempts of trying to summon his psychic powers…The unnerving sensation of actually "feeling" that extension between head and back, or more accurately, of feeling the uncomfortable numbness spreading through it returned with full force as soon as he reached a deeper level in his concentration…but even that sensation was left uncared for this time. Mewtwo was far more determined than to let it bother him any further…He _**would **_rouse his slumbering powers again if it was the last thing he did! He knew they were there. He could feel them…he just needed to revive them.

A soft, light-blue aura slowly started to envelop his still form and the Pokémon closed his eyes in order to bring even more focus to the center of that shimmering light…The one ability he felt was the most necessary one from them all at the moment…The one he so desperately tried activating ever since reaching the level of improvement in his condition where he no longer felt like falling asleep every other second while being relatively awake…

_""Recover…"" _the command reverberated through his very being, gliding from cell to cell in his system, searching the ones that were the most damaged…

_""Recover…"" _he mentally ordered again, a small sigh escaping him as he carefully guided the twinkle of his power along his body. It went smoother than last time he tried…but it still needed a lot of painful concentration to keep that healing flow vivid…

_""Recover…""_

"_You know Recover?! That's an awesome talent…"_ a new voice suddenly broke into his thoughts and Mewtwo gasped aloud, feeling the fragile line of focused power dissolve within him with astounding swiftness. The world leaped into a neck-breaking summersault as he opened his eyes again, a little too soon after his deep state of meditation... and not only that, but the force of the pounding ache in his body returned to him with full strength in a matter of mere seconds. Mewtwo flinched, clenching his eyes shut anew at the dizzying sensation of it all, covering them with both paws for a few moments with a pain-filled groan as he tried to convince the world around him to return to its original pace again…

_""Whoever you are……you better have a __**real**__ good reason ……for sneaking up on me like that……"" _he finally managed to mutter, his rapidly pounding heart eventually finding its way back to a more normal rhythm.

"_Woops…S-sorry…" _the same psychic voice peeped fearfully, a whole deal quieter this time than it did before.

Mewtwo carefully brought his aching head to the side, peering over towards the entrance of the chamber from where he felt the mental message coming from.

There, in the slightly opened door, stood a small Pokémon, one Mewtwo had never encountered before. Her thin hands were pressed firmly onto her tiny mouth as she stared back at him, her scarlet eyes widened to an incredible measure from fright.

Mewtwo blinked in surprise at the sight.

_""Well… there's a new face…Who are you?"" _he asked the new arrival.

"_M-my…my name is Kirlia…my friends call me Kira." _she replied quietly, giving extra care to keep her psychic thoughts on a lower sound level from then on. _"Sorry…I-I didn't mean to startle you…"_

Mewtwo regarded her trembling form a minute longer, frowning slightly at the arising memory inside which was still quite blurred…but gradually started to take a clearer shape.

_""Apology accepted…""_ he finally spoke up with a sigh. ""_But you better watch yourself later on…if you know what's good for you."" _he scolded lightly, not really meaning to threaten the small Pokémon, but emphasizing his point clear enough nevertheless. The Kirlia nodded eagerly, indicating that she had understood; all too well.

_""What do I owe this sudden visit anyway…"" _Mewtwo addressed her anew after a longer pause, seeing that she didn't seem to intend leaving from her spot. The Kirlia gulped a little, gathering enough courage to answer his inquiry.

"_I…just wanted to take a look…see how you were doing." _she muttered faintly, still somewhat shaky under the bigger Pokémon's intense gaze. _"I know I shouldn't…Amy told me not to disturb you. Said you need rest…" _

_""Amy told you?"" _the purple one raised his brows a little.

"_Yes…She's my partner." _

_""Partner…"" _Mewtwo asked back, an incredulous tone to his psychic voice. ""_Are you sure your word choice was correct there?"" _

"_Of course!" _Kira answered with a surprised glance. _"Why?"_

_""Surely you've meant trainer... or owner perhaps, no?"" _he said grimly. There was a dim glow in his eyes that the Kirlia couldn't quite understand.

"_Well…I am her Pokémon. But she's no trainer. She doesn't like battles. Both she and her friend don't like them. So I wouldn't call her a trainer…But I wouldn't call her my owner, neither." _Kira ruminated, drifting off in thought. _"She doesn't treat me that way…We're rather like… friends. Really good friends…Yes, that's what we are!" _she then exclaimed with a happy smile, momentarily forgetting about her nervousness in front of the strange Pokémon.

"_I like her because she's so nice to us all. To her and Gwen, the four of us Pokémon are like anyone else in family. We like them a lot, because they like us…Yes, we are friends, because we care for each other. That's what we are!" _she finally concluded, nodding her head in the end as emphasis.

The following pause lasted even longer than the previous one…Kirlia regarded Mewtwo with a glance full of expectation, but it took a while till the purple Pokémon spoke up again. His gaze wandered off from Kira, resting somewhere along the surface of the carpet for long minutes…

_""Friends…"" _he murmured, blinking his eyes once as he contemplated all he had heard.

"_That's right." _Kira chirped mentally with another smile, the signs of full certainty shining in her features…For some reason, it made the clone shudder inside as he lifted his glance back at her again.

"_Why is that so hard to believe?" _Kira asked him, her smile fading away slowly as her sensitive senses picked up on his inner distress.

_""…That's none of your concern…"" _Mewtwo replied quietly, huddling himself up a little more… something he usually did when wanting to retrieve from the world around him.

_""I have my reasons…Let that be enough for you."" _He cut Kira off before she could've even voiced her question again.

"_Oh…" _the small Pokémon peeped, taking a few steps further away from him, startled by the sudden chill in his tone. _"Sorry…" _

Mewtwo sighed softly to himself, closing his tired eyes against the insistent headache…

_""You don't have to apologize for everything you know…"" _he told her after a while, more gently this time.

"_Oh, sorry…" _The Kirlia replied swiftly, taken aback a little by his sudden response…A second later, the small Pokémon burst out in laughter as she realized what she had actually uttered. _"Awww, I did it again…" _she chuckled, her cheeks blushing.

Mewtwo raised his gaze at her, his expression somewhat surprised… But it didn't take long for the corner of his lips to lift neither. He actually managed a small smile at the little Pokémon's behaviour.

_""You're a strange Pokémon…"" _he told her with slight traces of amusement in his psychic voice.

"_So are you!" _the Kirlia chuckled all the more merrily, her eyes glistening with a playful twinkle.

Mewtwo regarded her features silently, leaving enough time for Kira to regain her composure again. It took a while longer till her giggles finally subsided…

_""You were the one, weren't you…"" _his quiet tone caught the Kirlia's attention in an instant._ ""The one who lead the two humans to my aid."" _He finally recalled Amy's words to him in the forest and vaguely, he could also remember seeing the Pokémon's small figure before by his side…probably on their way back to the house.

"_Yes…It was me." _Kira answered with a shy smile, not entirely sure of his thoughts about the matter. _"They say you were lucky…They say without help, you could've easily died." _She told him, her voice almost a whisper; the possibility of a fellow creature's demise frightening her.

_""I know…"" _Mewtwo said, sighing heavily. By now, he managed to accept the fact that whether he admitted it or not, he did owe his life to the three human beings; and their Pokémon.

_""Thank you.""_

Kira's gaze flew up to him again at hearing his quiet acknowledgement. The next moment, she was already beaming with delight.

"Kirlia!" she exclaimed out loud with joy. _"You're very welcome!" _

"Kira … You in here, mischief?" Amy's voice could suddenly be heard from outside as she and Gwen returned from the veranda. The Kirlia jumped slightly at hearing her human companion's entrance into the living room.

"_Woops…" _With a swift mental command, she let the door behind her close silently before turning back to Mewtwo, a playful gleam appearing in her features. _"I better go now. Amy's looking for me." _she told him with a rush, her colourful aura appearing around her, displaying more shades than a rainbow possibly could. _"Please don't tell her I was here. I wasn't supposed to…Hope you'll get better soon!" _she chirped once more cheerfully and the next second, the Kirlia teleported out of sight only to reappear behind the two teenagers in the hallway again, startling both of them.

"Ack! Kira…" Amy's gasp came from the parlour. "Please! You seriously need to do something about your "out-of-the-blue" entrances…" Barely restrained giggles were the response to her light scolding.

Mewtwo blinked baffled at the spot where the Kirlia had stood only moments ago…What did just happen? A Pokémon visitor out of nowhere…He hadn't encountered such display of vividness ever since leaving Mount Quena…He remembered seeing the younglings there, playing joyfully with each other…But this was different. He lay there silently for a few minutes in complete stillness, listening to the sounds of sunny conversation drifting into his room…the laughter among humans and Pokémon.

_""Friendship between two kinds…"" _the thought glided through his mind… ""_How could it ever be possible…"" _The image of a young trainer appeared in his memory again…The only one he had ever met who valued Pokémon just as he valued the members of his own race… Mewtwo frowned slightly in his rumination. Could it really be possible that the boy wasn't the only one…?

However, the images shifted again…gradually refilling with darkness and hurt and the psychic Pokémon rolled over with a sudden motion, turning away from the merry voices coming from outside. He clenched his burning eyes shut anew, holding his head with both paws and all but grinding his teeth against both the physical…and the arising mental pain that threatened to overwhelm him.

_""Never…"" _he concluded the answer to his own question, sighing deeply once more as he tried to calm himself again. _""That was an exception…No such friendship can be gained without price…Ever…"" _And the purple creature huddled up tightly even more, blocking out the world he now felt himself trapped in…the world of humans.


	8. Chapter Seven

_**Hello Everybody:D**_

**_Kirlien here with yet another update. :) _**

**_First of all, thank you all for your reviews. :D I'm looking forward to more, lol! ;D_**

**_WiseAbsol, yet again, I feel I'm in your dept... Thank you very much for pointing out that small detail I've somehow failed to realize even though loosing count on how many times I've seen the two Mewtwo Movies...Major Doh from my part right there. X.X" Your tip is most valued. :) I shall keep it in mind, big time. ;)_**

**_Oh, and small note to Gojira4life as well...Keep guessing my friend, you've scored surprisingly close :O LOL! ;D_**

**_Well then, with that all said, on to the story. :) Have fun reading everyone and greatly hope you'll enjoy. ;)_**

**_- Kirlien -_**

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_**Chapter 7:**_

It seemed almost unbelievable to Amy that a whole week had already passed…A long week full of expectation, worry and curiosity. By now, the routine felt natural to her…Carefully entering the guestroom, keeping regular watch over its new dweller, gently trying to rouse him out of his gloomy state of mind…thus far, without much success. Yet, Amy never left her hopes dissolve. Patience was crucial here now…and that, Amy did not forget for one second.

Once again, the young brunette found herself standing in front of the closed door of the dorm, contemplating the odds…She really didn't want to go on Mewtwo's nerves with her regular visits…But she just couldn't imagine it would be beneficial for anybody to spend the time of recuperation in complete solitude…

Accompanied by a very careful knock, she pocked her head into the room, silently hoping for the best…

"Hello…" she called out warily, looking for the familiar figure with her eyes. "Sorry…Hope I'm not disturbing…" but her voice trailed off in silent shock at the sight of the empty bed.

"Mewtwo?" she called again, traces of alarm shining through in her tone.

_""Whether you are disturbing me... Not more than usual."" _

Amy jumped slightly at the psychic response, her gaze darting over to the window. There stood the mighty Pokémon, lightly leaning against the wall with his arms folded under his shielded chest, never diverting his glance from the scenery outside.

"Whoa Gosh…Next time, please give me a warning before scaring me out of the wits like that…" Amy muttered, placing one hand onto her heart for a second with relief. She closed the door behind herself, taking a few careful steps towards the Pokémon's still form. Mewtwo was standing upright, his posture even…and despite being a tall person herself, Amy suddenly felt herself surprisingly small compared to his two-meter height.

"How come you're not in bed?" she asked gently, her eyes wide with wonderment.

_""I grew tired of lying still."" _he answered curtly.

"Well… no wonder." Amy said with a small smile, regarding the creature's stern features.

"…I trust you're feeling better then." she attempted to start a conversation once again. Seeing Mewtwo out of the bed was definitely a good sign and it boosted Amy's spirits greatly. Now, if only he would behave just a tiny bit friendlier towards them…

_""It depends."" _Another short reply.

_(("…He's doing it again…")) _Amy thought, feeling the pang of sadness hit home at the fact that Mewtwo's attitude hadn't altered in the least.

"I see…Well, anyways… I'm real happy you're feeling well enough now to move around a bit." she said quietly, lowering her gaze to the ground. She was still smiling, but it showed in her demeanour how much Mewtwo's rejection pained her…And although she didn't notice, her feelings emanated through towards the psychic being as well.

After a while, Mewtwo cast a sideways glance at her from the corner of his amethyst eye.

_""Indeed… I have never lolled about this long in a row, doing nothing…"" _he spoke up, taking Amy by surprise.

The young girl lifted her head, mouth slightly left open. That was the longest sentence Mewtwo had uttered in days…Gradually, a merry glisten came to life in her eyes once more. Was there perhaps still hope…?

"Aye, I know how you feel…" she said quietly, still somewhat wary about choosing her words. She didn't want to loose this opportunity… "And to think one would usually like the idea of staying in bed the whole day long when one's healthy."

Mewtwo hummed to himself in response, his eyes still scanning the gardens outside behind the house.

"May I take a look at your bandages…?" Amy asked him carefully after a few minutes, wanting to check how his wounds were doing.

The Pokémon's gaze finally settled on her, the familiar probing light visible in his glance…but eventually, he gave in to her request.

"…Heeey…Where did your scars go?" the brunette spoke up after removing the white gauze, honest marvel showing in her features. Only the lighter colors on his skin indicated any visible trace of his earlier injuries… Any other sign of them was gone, as if erased…even that of the long gash across his chest.

A very small half-smile appeared on the Pokémon's face at her bafflement.

_""Let that remain my secret."" _he replied.

Amy peered up at him with an amused look at his statement, biting back the urge of further inquiry…for now.

"Ahaaa…Well then, guess you won't be needing these anymore." She said happily, folding up the material of the bandages into a bundle. "I must say, you are full of surprises, Sir!" she grinned, patting the Pokémon on the arm lightly as she removed the last of the cloth from it.

The motion caused Mewtwo to give a slight start and his eyes filled with confusion for a second as he lifted his glance onto the human.

_""Hm…if you say so."" _he murmured, recollecting his calm air as if nothing had happened.

_""Thank you."" _he added curtly, withdrawing from the girl. Amy watched as he slowly walked back to the bed, his strides a little shaky still, but surprisingly steady nonetheless.

_(("Wow…he's doing a lot better than I did back then…")) _she thought, memories flowing back to her from her past, of her own experiences…

Meanwhile, Mewtwo sat back on the edge of the bed, wincing ever so slightly. The momentary shift rushing across his face did not go unnoticed…

"Does it still hurt…" Amy asked him gently.

_""No…Just the headache…"" _Mewtwo admitted reluctantly after a few moments of silence, his eyes closing as he lowered his head a bit. _""No matter how I try…It won't go away."" _he muttered faintly, rather to himself than to Amy, as if pondering on a possible solution for the annoying problem…but this human's senses were particularly sharp.

"Yes…Believe me, I know how you feel." she said with a sympathetic frown, standing the Pokémon's annoyed gaze as he reopened his eyes, giving her a glare.

_**""How **__would you possibly know?"" _he growled mentally. Pitying remarks were the absolute last thing he needed…

"I know because I've gone through the exact same thing a few years back." Amy told him with an even tone, not the least intimidated by his earlier outburst.

Mewtwo raised an eyebrow in silent surprise… Now there was a strange answer…

_""You what?"" _he asked back, doubt awakening in him almost immediately.

"Yep…I already had the pleasure of dealing with a concussion myself, so I would know its side-effects all too well." Amy said again with calm confidence, her serious expression telling the clone she was anything but joking.

"Almost a whole month of insistent headaches and dizzy spells… An unnervingly steady buzz in your head wondering from spot to spot all around inside your skull day and night…Believe me, I've felt it; and it wasn't a pleasant sensation." Amy's features took on a grim air at recalling the memories.

The Pokémon's brows slowly lifted still, eyes widening with bewilderment…She wasn't kidding. She had just summarized the symptoms eerily accurately…And once again, Mewtwo's experienced senses could not detect any telltale traces of fibbing within her.

_""You are serious."" _he stated aloud.

"Doh… You've noticed? That's a good sign…" Amy said sarcastically, giving him a look. "I usually don't fool around with such things you know."

Mewtwo diverted his gaze from her, returning to his trademark stern expression; even though inwardly he felt like kicking himself for that last comment.

_""What has happened…"" _he finally asked after a while.

"Ah…it was all a stupid accident, really…" Amy answered with a sigh, shaking her head slightly.

"It all happened years ago, back when our class was having a camping trip in seventh grade. The region we stayed at was beautiful, you should've seen it…and surely there wouldn't have been any trouble at all in the first place, if it wasn't for that dried out trench near our encampment and a few of our fellow class members with a morbid humour…" The young girl gave a suggestive look in regards to the last statement.

"Now, a natural formation such as that dike of course proved to be quite seductive for us youngsters. We went there regularly day after day, fooling around in our usual playful manner, balancing on the narrow log that lay across the pit…that functioned really well as a natural bridge between the two banks I must say. There was no real danger in this you see…at least, I do not think so. The log was steady; anybody could get across it without much trouble. Well…at least that was the case until some of my aforementioned mates decided to play a little prank on us."

While Amy was talking, Mewtwo's glance gradually returned to her again fully. He was listening intently…

"Abby Wilkins must've been one of the most lax students in our group…She had always been a leading member of the so called…"Cool Gang". She was also one of those kids who particularly enjoyed toying with others who were…less tough."

Amy gave way to a small sigh, plopping down onto the bed next to the Pokémon. Her gaze was set onto the wall in front as she relived the events…

"There were four of us on the log at the very moment…Suddenly, out of the blue, Abby Wilkins pops onto the one end of the trunk, with a mischievous grin on her face. "Say, who wants to bet this log is mobile?" It didn't even occur to us she was serious. Then comes Abby's best comrade Miriam, and pops onto the other end of the tree on our other side. "Well gee, I don't know, let's find out, shall we?" By then, we were getting worried…Of course, any attempt at trying to talk them out of it all failed. There stood the two girls on each end, fidgeting around till they managed to somehow jerk the log out of balance slightly. The four of us girls caught in the middle…Well sure, two against four wouldn't have been such huge trouble. We could still handle that amount of movement under our feet…That until two other "Cool Gang" friends joined in the fun. Four against four…Now the odds were even. The quartette eventually succeeded in rolling the whole log over to one side in one powerful motion; one that even surprised them!"

"You can imagine; from there on, everybody fell…All eight of us. Abby and company had it easy, they were still relatively on solid ground… Gwen and Sharon; one of the two girls being trapped with us; both landed on the trunk and were lucky enough to grab hold in time before slipping…Melissa and I flew square off however, down into the pit. It wasn't dangerously deep, actually, but the angle we took made it impossible for any of us to correct our fall in a proper way."

Amy diverted her gaze up towards the ceiling, inhaling deeply.

"Yeah…one of the most ridiculous stories ever, wouldn't you say so…and yet; Melissa nearly broke one arm and ruptured her collar-bone; I ended up with several bruises myself plus one hell of a blow to the head. And voilá...Perfect chaos."

Deep silence took over as Amy concluded her tale and for several minutes, not a word was spoken…the only reaction from Mewtwo being his glance sinking to the ground.

"Though, you know… I don't think it was intentional, really." Amy spoke up after a while. "Sure enough, Abby and crew usually proved to be a real pain in the butt, but that doesn't mean they would've actually wanted to hurt anyone. They were simply fooling around…not thinking properly on the consequences."

_""…Do you always defend the ones who cause you trouble? Especially after one such as that incident?"" _the Pokémon frowned, his features as good as unreadable.

"Well, no…but I'd rather not condemn anyone like that without proper reason…Abby and company have always been real jerks, no excuse there… But frankly, that's just the point. They have as sharp of a brain as a Slowpoke does."

Mewtwo replied with a soft snort to that, amused at the image Amy's statement brought to his mind.

_""Honestly, I will __**never **__understand humans…"" _

"Yeah, well…Sometimes, it's even difficult for me to understand them."

Mewtwo peered over at her with a sideways glance, slightly surprised by the girl's words.

"Well, I've told my part of the story." Amy suddenly turned towards him, shaking off her own memories with a shrug. "What about you?"

_""Me?"" _Mewtwo blinked, taken aback by the sudden question.

"Yes. It's your turn…Wouldn't you like to tell me something about what has happened to you?"

The Pokémon stared back at her for a long while in complete silence, but eventually, he turned away from Amy again, his long, purple tail brushing over the covers behind them with one graceful, but nervous motion.

_""Not really…Your guess is correct."" _he finally replied, the reticent air to his demeanour returning.

"It would do you good I believe…Memories of painful events can grow to become a real burden to the soul. Sharing them with others however usually makes it a lot easier to digest them…"

_""What role are you playing now…The one of a psychologist?"" _Mewtwo asked back abruptly, suddenly irritated by her constant inquiries.

"No…rather one of a potential friend if you like…one that would listen."

The Pokémon went stiff as a board at hearing those calm words. His eyes remained fixed onto the window with a frozen glance and for a minute, it seemed he even forgot to breath.

_""…Do you not you have anything better to do then to torment me…"" _he murmured quietly, not daring to risk another look at the human girl.

Amy didn't reply to that… She could feel that the conversation between her and Mewtwo had just come to an end. Not wanting to get him upset, she carefully rose from her spot on the bed and moved to collect the remainder of the bandages as she got ready to leave.

"Alright…You don't have to tell me anything if you do not wish to. I won't force it…But please, do remember, should you want to speak to someone about it later on…Know that I'll always be nearby to listen to you." She told him quietly one more time, smiling down at the Pokémon with a reassuring glance. He didn't show any reaction to her offer, but Amy knew he had heard her loud and clear. Mewtwo remained still as a statue all along while she slowly walked back to the door.

"Perhaps later on, when you're well rested…you could join us out here in the sitting room. I would love to show you around in our home if you'd like." Amy offered carefully, hoping to somehow cheer him up a little. "I would hate it if the guestroom would be the only part of the house you'd ever see."

Very slowly, the Pokémon turned his head towards her with the most honest look of stupefaction on his face Amy had ever seen.

_""Out …there…with you?"" _he repeated slowly._ ""…You are actually inviting me to go out there and join you?"" _

"Ah…yes." she answered simply with a half-shrug, feeling a little awkward in their strange situation. She couldn't figure how such a simple question could possibly baffle someone this much…

Mewtwo stared at the girl a while longer, eventually diverting his gaze back to the wall in front of him. He still seemed rather startled…

_""I…shall…think about it…"" _he finally murmured, his psychic voice barely audible.

"Alright…Ahm…I'll be going then…" Amy told him quietly, opening the door behind her. For some reason, she felt it was better to leave the room behind as fast as possible for now…

Even after her exit, it took incredibly long till the silent figure on the bed moved a muscle again…

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**_Author's Note: Crazy accidents like the one Amy described can happen! Trust me, I've seen similar stuff with my own eyes... X-( Keep that in mind when going on a trip..._**

**_Take care Everybody!_**

**_- Kirlien -_**


	9. Chapter Eight

_**Hi there Everybody:D**_

**_Back again with a new chapter! ;) Sorry it took so long to update properly guys, university has started for me and took more of my time than I originally thought... :( Studies may keep getting in the way now and then in the future as well, but I'll do my best to keep up with my plan of updating weekly...should chapters be a little late, sowwy in advance. :P_**

**_Woweee...All I can say is THANK YOU VERY MUCH for all the kind reviews:D :D :D They really keep me going! I so hope I can keep this level of my writing alive and won't dissappoint you later on neither... I'm really giving everything I have. LOL! ;D _**

**_Well, I know how very curious some of you already are about the meanie in the background...I'm afraid you'll have to wait a small bit longer for now. :) But only for a SMALL BIT! ;P Two more chapters or so, and events shall turn INTENSE! ;)_**

**_Just a little spoiler for you in advance...Whoever you think the antagonist of this story will be...I can already tell you, it is NOT Giovanni. :P Surprise, surprise...LOL! He is, however, a character from the Pokémon world...Spoiler over! Hehe! ;D_**

**_Well then, on with the story:) Greatly hope you'll like the way I continued...I tried to add some humour into it here and there that might make you guys lol...Hope you'll like. :)_**

**_Have fun reading and enjoy:D_**

**_- Kirlien -_**

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_**Chapter 8:**_

_""Absolutely not…"" _

"Come now Mewtwo… None of us bites; you should've noticed that by now." Amy told him with a small chuckle, having trouble suppressing her amusement at the Pokémon's expression.

It had been two days since that longer talk between the two of them. Amy decided to leave Mewtwo some time before even referring to her previous offer in any way again. She didn't want to push him…after all; she had a pretty good idea about what a heavy decision this must've been for the psychic creature to make… Especially considering he wasn't the least bit used to the company of humans.

Mewtwo was steadily regaining his strength, it was clearly visible. Amy now wanted to give him the chance of widening his range of movement, further assisting his recovery.

"Listen, this room isn't big enough for a Pokémon such as you to stay in day and night... You haven't set foot out of here in a week! Honestly, if I were you…I would be itching to get out of this chamber by now!" she tried to reason with him, smiling up at him reassuringly from her kneeling position beside the bed.

Mewtwo sat there in complete stillness, feeling himself more tense inside then ever since arriving to this unusual environment…Of course he wouldn't have hesitated leaving these four walls far behind once the opportunity came…but, he wasn't sure he really wished to do so…if the seemingly only available option for now lead through a room full of members of the kind he swore to avoid for the rest of his life… Could he really pull it through…stepping out willingly into their circle? The Pokémon shuddered silently…

"Hey…" Amy addressed him again with a soothing tone, touching him on his shoulder lightly in the same manner she had done back in the forest on that day that seemed so long ago. "How many times do I have to tell it for you to finally believe…Nobody's going to hurt you here."

_""…Perhaps…"" _Mewtwo murmured quietly, breathing a somewhat tremulous sigh. ""_But I have lost faith in simple words long ago…Not to mention I feel highly uncomfortable with this whole situation…"" _he admitted with a slow shake of his head as he peered over towards the door. Although he tried to hide it as good as possible, Amy still caught the traces of nervousness glistening in his eyes…

"Oh Mewtwo…" she sighed, her smile fading instantly. She wished so badly she could do something to make it easier for him…She knew what he probably wanted the most inside, but it would've still been early for him to return to the wilderness all on his own… He needed to recuperate further before that could've happened safely. For his own sake, he needed to stay put for now…Yet, Amy wanted to show him it wasn't meant for him to be kept as a prisoner in this house. She wanted him to move around freely, without restrictions and most of all, without fear of his surroundings. However, in order for him to ever reach that stage…he needed to be coaxed out of that room first.

"Listen…you do want to get out of this dorm, don't you?" she asked him gently.

_""…Yes…"" _he answered warily, his gaze still kept forward, away from her.

"You do want to stretch your muscles a bit and breath in fresh air again, don't you?"

_""…Correct …"" _

Amy leaned in a bit closer to him, eventually poking her head into his field of vision.

"All you have to do is to step out through that door…In this house, nobody's going to cause you harm, I can ensure you that."

The brunette had to keep herself from shaking her head at the visible skepticism in his eyes. "Remember what I told you back on our way here…?" she asked him quietly as their gaze finally met. "I won't let anything bad happen to you…That promise still stands, you know…" she told him with a smile.

They remained there in that position for several long minutes, both of them silent, both of them regarding each others features… Mewtwo's eyes never leaving hers as he considered what she just said to him.

Finally, Amy rose to her feet, extending a slim arm towards the Pokémon.

"What do you say Mewtwo?" Her voice was the kindest one he had ever heard, her gesture taking him aback once again…He stared at the outstretched limb for a long while…faintly feeling his walls of opposition gradually starting to crumble inside.

"Hm?" Amy hummed inquisitively, waiting for his response. She could practically see the inner fight behind the Pokémon's features…

Then, Mewtwo's eyes closed slowly, the Pokémon taking in the deepest of breath his lungs possibly could, exhaling long afterwards in silent defeat…As he locked his gaze onto her again, one of his paws slowly began to move upwards, moving as if being shy of getting anywhere near the patiently waiting hand of the girl's…Slowly, but steadily, Mewtwo reached out towards the offered hand and finally, his orbed fingers carefully grasped Amy's outstretched ones…

Her heart took a neck-breaking leap inside her chest and the young woman felt like keeling over under the rush of sudden relief washing over her soul…Amy was smiling happily once more.

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_""I uphold my opinion…This is __**not**__ a good idea…"" _Mewtwo murmured under his breath, reluctantly allowing Amy to lead him out through the door. His pulse must've been racing at a high record from inner tension and he faintly realized his steps becoming more uncertain as they entered the open space of the parlor.

"Trust me…It will be much easier afterwards, you'll see." Amy told him, giving his paw a reassuring squeeze. She then raised her voice a bit, calling out to the other members of the family…"Yo Gwen! Graham! Guess whom I have managed to lure out from under the covers."

Mewtwo drew in a faintly hissing breath, his eyes searching the bright, spacious room for the figures of the other humans…Sure enough; it didn't take long for them to appear.

Gwen was the first one to poke her head into the chamber.

"My Gosh…you actually succeeded…" she muttered, staring over at them with eyes round as saucers in amazed disbelief.

"Hey, I tried…" Amy answered meekly, trying hard to fight back the urge of chuckling at the look on her friend's face.

Gwen peered over at the tall Pokémon with an expression that almost resembled awe.

"Yeah…Ah…Hi there." she peeped, taking a few careful steps inside. "It's nice to finally meet you out here in the open as well. We were wondering when you'll be paying us a visit." she then spoke up a little louder, a small, fearful smile forming on her lips.

Amy turned back towards Mewtwo with a glance full of expectation. She felt herself quivering slightly as well, but her hopes for a smooth meeting remained firmly present nonetheless…She could sense the sting of worry inside at seeing how pale the Pokémon had become. He was still tense as a guitar's chord…Mewtwo sighed deeply, attempting to calm himself.

_""Yes…I suppose…"" _he managed to force out, but even that faint reply felt extremely strained. He looked no less comfortable with the whole situation as Gwen did…

"My word!! Amy my girl, you've finally done it!" The sudden joyful voice broke through the silence, startling all three of them. Amy could feel Mewtwo wincing badly beside her and she quickly grasped his paw again tightly, hoping to sooth him as much as possible. She knew the approaching individual was the one the Pokémon was worried about the most…

The professor entered the room swiftly, his bearded face beaming with a huge smile of pure delight.

"I must say, you are one stubborn Pokémon my friend! You've given us quite the headache you know. We were starting to fear you'd never come…" he greeted cheerfully, his sparkling gaze settled on the slightly trembling Mewtwo. "Ehm…please excuse my excitement, I honestly can't help it! It's just that I've truly never met any of your kind before…But anyways, profession put strictly aside, it is a real pleasure Mewtwo. Welcome to our home!" Graham said pleasantly, extending his arms to the sides, showing around the space around them as emphasis to his words.

Mewtwo regarded the elderly man with a wary glance, his fingers involuntarily flexing around those of Amy's. This human's behaviour perplexed him deeply, but more importantly, it boosted his apprehensions beyond belief…However, he tried to preserve his cool air as much as he could in his temporarily weakened state. He couldn't bring himself to utter any psychic words to the man, but with a deep inhale, he nodded his head in response, expressing a silent "Thank you."

"Wonderful!" Graham nodded back with the friendly twinkle in his eyes Amy liked so much. The brunette slowly started to relax somewhat…

The professor then turned towards her niece, motioning for her to come closer as well. "Gwen my dear, have you stricken roots? Come along, come along, I'm sure Mewtwo won't bite."

The raven-haired teen looked over to him with an incredulous stare and seeing that expression along with hearing Graham's playful coaxing suddenly triggered Amy's spirits…Wasn't that the exact same way she was attempting to persuade the purple one out of his hiding place only minutes ago? Lurking nervousness or none, she couldn't help but break out into a restrained, but all the more amused chuckle…which however escalated into a full-strength laughter as she caught the baffled look Mewtwo sent her way at the good ol' professor's joke. She could practically read the message in the Pokémon's eyes: ((_"This better be worth it…"))_

"Oh God…I needed that…" she gasped between snickers, trying to stifle her laughter with her free hand raised to her mouth while Gwen eventually made her way over to her uncle's side, shaking her head slightly. "Unc', I swear…That wasn't funny." she murmured, folding her arms in front of her chest with a frown. She didn't find that remark humorous at all, seeing as she indeed still had small amounts of fear inside from being this close to the wild Pokémon. She had no idea how Mewtwo would react to the sudden encounter…and it made her restless.

"Would you two care to join us for a little while before Amy lures you on sight-seeing?" Graham asked, making himself comfortable on the sofa. Gwen quickly followed suit, sitting down beside him. The professor looked up at Mewtwo with a look full with anticipation.

_""Ahm…"" _the Pokémon muttered, not really knowing how to respond. With all honesty, he would've rather faced a Seviper instead…but the young girl on his side didn't leave him much of a choice.

"Sure we would! Don't we Mewtwo?" she answered with a broad smile, grabbing him on the arm and gently guiding him over to the others with a soft pull. The incredulous Pokémon stumbled slightly, his heart skipping a beat…and yet, he followed her with automatic steps, unable to summon the strength of opposing her careful insistence.

They sat down on the second settee on the opposite side of the small table, Amy wary on the Pokémon's every move.

"So! How are you feeling today my friend?" Graham addressed Mewtwo again, just as leisurely as if speaking to one of the neighbours from across the street.

_""…Right now?…I could not really tell…"" _he mumbled warily, feeling incredibly awkward about the whole situation. This must've been nothing more but some kind of a morbid nightmare anyways... He felt at a complete loss of words…What pray tell could a Pokémon such as himself possibly converse about with humans…Further more; what in the world was he doing, sitting here among their kind in the first place?! This couldn't be happening…if it hadn't been for that female's convincing art of speech earlier…

"Ah, I see…Still need a little time to get used to all this, don't you?" Graham spoke up with a kind smile. "Most understandable my friend…Can't be easy for you right now, am I correct? An independent creature such as yourself, suddenly reawakening in a world completely alien to him…"

Mewtwo lifted his gaze up at him slowly, wonderment building up inside. Now what…could this human actually read his feelings? After a day like this, not even that possibility would have surprised him in the least…

"_Can I believe my eyes?! … It's really Mewtwo!_ " a cheerful voice filled the air suddenly and the purple Pokémon flinched once more, clenching his eyes shut against the vibration that rushed through his nerves at the appearance of the unexpected, yet familiar psychic tone.

"Gaaah … Kira, what did we talk about the other day…" Amy sighed, turning her head towards the small form of the Kirlia who was now hovering over her left shoulder with a huge smile on her face.

"_Hehe…sorry!" _she giggled quietly, her amused glance wandering over to Mewtwo's slightly hunched form.

_""There she goes again with her apologies…"" _he murmured distantly, fixing a sideways look onto the floating Pokémon.

"Again??" Amy gazed at him with surprise. "Have you two met each other before?"

The two Pokémon exchanged glances and within seconds everyone could clearly make out the blush appearing on Kirlia's cheeks.

"_Aaahm…well, I sort of… visited him." _she admitted quietly, peering down at the surface of the table with a guilty expression.

Amy smiled up at her Pokémon with a fond twinkle in her eyes.

"Curiosity…possibly one of Kira's most powerful enemies." she stated, reaching out to poke the ballerina in the stomach lightly. Kirlia immediately jumped back into the air, holding her tummy with both hands, laughing merrily at the tickle she received.

"There now; consider that as your punishment. And heed my warning Kira; there's more where that came from!" Amy purred, leaning back on the sofa with a satisfied grin.

"Ahm, Amy… Since when did your Pokémon become this frisky?" Gwen asked her friend with wonder, following the Kirlia's movement with her gaze.

Amy looked back up at her little comrade at the question inquisitively, giving her the opportunity of answering it herself.

"Kira… Gwen has a point there. You look livelier than ever! What made you so cheerful all of a sudden?" she smiled up at her small form with a happy smile, unable to recall seeing her this untroubled before. Was it even the same Kirlia they were conversing with?

"_I don't know…Guess it's because I'm not the only psychic Pokémon around anymore." _Kira chirped merrily, peering over to Mewtwo again. Amy followed her glance, turning to him as well with an astounded beam.

"Mewtwo, you've just brought the best state of mind out of my shy little Kirlia!" she exclaimed, shaking her head in amazement.

Mewtwo looked back at her with an uncomprehending gaze.

_""Me? …What do you mean? I did not do any…"" _

"Furrrrret?"

The psychic clone almost bumped into Amy with a start at the sudden touch of a cold, snooping nose on one of his paws. He gave way to a soft gasp, staring down at the stripy Pokémon next to him with wide eyes. Now where did that creature come from?!

The room was instantly filled with amused laughter as the remaining dwellers of the Spivok-residency entered the scene. Even Gwen couldn't help but join in, hardly bringing any words out between chuckles.

"Fergie!! What ever is it with you always scaring our guests half to dead?"

Amy finally managed to wipe away her tears as well, gently grasping the startled Pokémon by the shoulder.

"Relax Mewtwo…This here is just Fergie, Gwen's Furret. A _**real **_troublemaker!" she soothed him, still snickering under her breath.

_""Huh... I can see that...""_Mewtwo muttered faintly with a frown, inhaling deeply. That was a nasty way of saying "Hello"…He managed a weak glare at the giggling weasel, blinking as he saw another head pop up besides it.

"And that there is Chika, Gwen's Chikorita." Amy pointed out with a smile.

"Say hello to Mewtwo guys." Gwen urged her Pokémon lightly, exchanging an amused glance with her best friend.

"Chiikoo!" came the quick reply and the Chikorita greeted the new visitor with a broad smile.

"Furrrret!" Fergie added as well, nodding his head with a friendly grin.

"Beauti…flyyyy!" another small voice then joined them and Mewtwo's vision got blurred for a moment as the colorful figure of the third Pokémon flew by his head, literally skimming the tip of his nose a bit.

_""Bah…"" _he sniffed, jerking his head back a little and automatically bringing one paw up to brush away the fluttering wing from in front of his face.

"And _**that **_is Boe, my meddlesome little Beautifly." Amy exclaimed with laughter, motioning the butterfly over to her side.

"I must agree, they're quite a handful…but each one of them is really lovable deep within. Am I right fellows?" she addressed the assembled Pokémon with a broad smile. The response was immediate and loud as it could possibly be.

Mewtwo uttered a quiet grunt, his head giving a painful throb as a reminder that it didn't particularly like the assault of so many colourful voices all at once just yet… The sudden appearance of so many new faces caught him completely unprepared, even though these were Pokémon, and not human beings. For him, the room, as big as it was, suddenly felt incredibly cramped…

"Hope our little friends didn't give you too much of a fright…" Graham addressed him with an apologetic tone. "No matter how we tried, thus far, we couldn't get them out of this habit of theirs. They just love to make an entrance…"

_""Yes…so I have noticed…"" _Mewtwo murmured mentally, gently massaging his temple for a brief moment in the attempt of easing his increasing headache once more. Luckily for him, the motion did not go unnoticed in front of the professor…

"Hmm…Amy…Perhaps it would be best to leave Mewtwo a little peace for now…We still need to be precautionary about his condition, let's not forget about that! How 'bout you show him to the view from the "favorite-spot" upstairs? I'm sure it would prove soothing for him."

Graham, just as both of the girls, knew the perfect place where one could possibly find the most calmness in their vivid home…Amy caught his glance in an instant. She looked over at Mewtwo, her smile suddenly fading.

"Sure…What do you say Mewtwo?" Her anxiety returned with full force with a heartbeat, realizing that perhaps unbeknown to her, the frenzy of activity around him might have been a bit too much for the recovering Pokémon…

_""…Sounds good to me…"" _he replied quietly, without raising his glance that had drifted to the floor in the meantime. His lids were partially closed, indicating that indeed, he was tiring…and quite frankly, he felt more than ready to finally leave the absurd scenery behind…

With a nod to the others, Amy gently escorted their patient out of the living room, showing him the way towards the stairs that lead to the upper level of the house.

"Sorry about the inconvenience… I didn't think the little ones would make such a racket…"Amy spoke up quietly as they slowly made their way upstairs. "They were incredibly excited to meet you."

_""…No kidding…"" _Mewtwo replied faintly, his head still lowered slightly as he forced himself to keep more attention to the steps…he didn't like the way his vision was blurring…

"I must admit, they've always been perky ones…but their present enthusiasm was even a surprise for me! Especially Kira's… Mewtwo?" Amy stopped herself at seeing the Pokémon beside her falter…

He had to grab hold on the handrail for a minute as he felt the energy suddenly flowing from his muscles…He silently cursed his own weakness, vaguely feeling Amy's strong grasp on his upper arm. She carefully sat down with him on the topmost step, worry shining from her widened chestnut eyes.

_""That was so insane…What was I thinking…"" _he muttered to himself, for a moment seemingly oblivious to the human girl sitting next to him. He was leaning forward, his face buried in his paws. He still felt a bit dizzy and his head was throbbing painfully once more…

"You may have overstrained yourself a bit there…You were extremely on the edge the whole time, I could tell." Amy said quietly, leaning over to him as well so they could be in eyelevel.

"Mewtwo, I'm so sorry…Perhaps it was still a bit early for it. I didn't mean to push you this far. I was just…" her voice trailed off into a great sigh. The thought of unwittingly worsening his condition pained her deeply. "I was just hoping it would make it easier for you…for us all."

After an unnervingly long pause, Mewtwo finally spoke up.

_""…I know…"" _he sighed, slowly bringing his head up again. He still looked pale, but Amy could see some traces of color gradually returning to his complexion. There was an exhausted gleam in his eyes that saddened her…she felt terribly guilty.

_""Guess it could not have been avoidable anyway…""_

"Yes…Was it really that bad?" Amy asked him fearfully, peering over at him with concern.

Mewtwo closed his eyes for a minute, and to Amy's great surprise, the outlines of a small smile seemed to be playing on his lips.

_""Let's just say…I shall know what I am up against…from now on…"" _

That actually sounded like an acceptance to the young girl. The traces of that hopeful sparkle started to return to her eyes…

_""Do not expect me to show equal enthusiasm about joining their circle again though…"" _Mewtwo added distinctly, sending a sideways glance at her. Amy smiled back at him with a nod of understanding.

"Alright…Would you like to lay down a bit? My room is only a short distance away." She offered gently, hoping that a little rest would help the Pokémon in regaining his ebbed strength again.

Mewtwo once again gave her that look of his that indicated to her just how one-sided his experience with humans could possibly be…It seemed he was doubtful whether he had understood her correctly or not.

"Aw, come on you…" she said with a kind smile, helping the Pokémon back to his feet gently. His stance was a bit shaky, but steady enough for him to walk on his own once more. "A bed will be a lot more comfortable than the hard floor." she pointed out, leading him down the corridor, wary of each move he made.

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

It didn't take long for them to reach the aforementioned dorm and once they entered the shady chamber, Mewtwo's eyes widened with wonderment at the décor…The walls were all adorned with framed photos of the most beautiful kind. Picturesque landscapes, friendly meadows, shady forests, sparkling water, colorful flowers hiding in flowing grass, glamorous sunsets… It felt like entering a gallery of the most pleasant pictures taken of nature's beauty.

_""Oh…Nice."" _Mewtwo murmured under his breath, garnering an amused smile from Amy.

"You like? … Pretty impressive, huh?"

_""Were all of these done by you?"" _he asked, his gaze wandering from picture to picture.

"Most of them, yes." Amy replied, sending a fond glance towards her collection. "My most favourite hobby…"

_""They are really good…"" _Mewtwo admitted, his eyes settling on one particularly well-caught sundown.

"Why thank you!" Amy smiled over at him, surprised by the otherwise so reticent Pokémon's praise, but beaming all the more happily in response.

A few minutes passed in complete silence between them, Amy regarding his features, smiling inwardly at seeing how Mewtwo seemed to gradually loose himself in admiring that last picture of the setting sun…She couldn't imagine what kind of images, what kinds of memories it could've brought to the surface within him, but she felt sure she had never seen him becoming this calm before. His usually steely posture eased, his breathing grew more even…and his glance; for a moment, all hardness seemed to flow away from those amethyst eyes…It made Amy's spirits bright to see the change she so wished, and hoped, to see one day.

"You really seem to like that picture…" she whispered gently, her eyes sparkling merrily as the Pokémon slowly turned his gaze over to her, as if just returning to the present from a mental journey.

_""It gives me such deja vu…I have seen similar sunsets, long ago…So long ago from now…"" _he replied after a short while, sighing heavily as he cast one last look at the picture on the wall. ""_…Wish I could see it again… ""_

"You will Mewtwo; sooner than you think." Amy encouraged him, feeling a small stab in her heart at the lurking longing and sorrow in his psychic voice. She stood carefully from the bed on which she had been sitting on and walked over to the Pokémon.

"That's a promise." She added with confidence, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, one she liked to give him whenever she felt he needed solace…a motion to which the purple creature was starting to get used to by now…but one that still felt strange to him in a way.

Mewtwo lifted his glance on her again, a mixture of both weariness and a kind of resignation visible in his look. He didn't say a word, but there was something more in that amethyst gaze of his that told her…for once, he appreciated her soothing.

"You're tired…" she stated quietly, giving him a warm smile. "Come."

With the same gentle, but insistent pull she used earlier, Amy guided him over towards the bed. "You should really get some rest before straining yourself further… and please for once, don't resist! If you collapse, I won't be able to pull you to your feet again." she chided him lightly at feeling his vague hesitation. She missed the shadow of the staggered expression gliding through his features for a second at her steady offer…

_""Listen…You really shouldn't do this. I am telling you, you do not need…"" h_e started with his usual objection, but it was cleanly cut off by the soft push that the brunette gave his chest, a playful grin appearing on her face as the sudden motion sent Mewtwo plopping down onto the bed. Before the surprised Pokémon could even comprehend it, he got rolled down onto his side by a pair of slim hands and as his startled gaze shot upwards, for a few moments, he found himself staring into the human female's crystal-clear eyes from up close as Amy leaned over him to make sure he wouldn't make the attempt of jumping from his spot.

"No backtalk Mister!" she told him in a light whisper, her nose almost touching his. Her words were gentle and full of mirth; however their firmness did not escape the Pokémon's attention. "You stay put and no buts."

Mewtwo merely blinked his eyes in bewilderment and pure disbelief. Did he actually just get overthrown by a human girl?! Surely, he would've normally been upset about such a manner, and how…had he not been so dumbfounded. Humorously enough, even the mere thought of it failed to surface within him as he silently watched Amy straightening up again and walking over to her desk. He couldn't believe the amount of informality he was experiencing in her demeanour towards him…that was _**highly **_unusual…

_""Why are you doing this…"" _he muttered under his breath, carefully examining her form his position. Amy looked over to him again at hearing his quiet voice. Her lovely smile was still playing on her lips. "Just try to relax for a short while. It will do you good, you'll see." she told him in a kind tone, moving her chair closer to the table where her laptop lay.

_""You did not answer my question. "" _Mewtwo pointed out, his gaze on her unwavering. ""_**Why **__are you doing all this? Why this behaviour…"" _

Amy's gentle gaze returned his, now with complete calmness.

"Here's my own question for you then…Why do you always have to ask questions instead of simply accepting the present?"

Mewtwo blinked at her with surprise at the reply.

"You're worrying too much…You should try and merely let yourself go, even if just for a little while." An amused glint appeared in the human eyes. "Don't tell me your current position is that forbidding to you as if it would give you enough reason for feeling edgy!"

The Pokémon raised an eyebrow in response, his glance momentarily gliding over the comfortable covers of the bed he was now lying on…He hated to admit it, but eventually, he had to realize that the girl did have a point there…didn't she?

He gave way to a slightly annoyed huff at feeling Amy's mirthful look upon himself. Without uttering another word, he leaned back a bit further, making himself more comfortable as he curled up lightly in his usual posture that reminded Amy so much on a big, purple cat.

_""There…Satisfied now?"" _Mewtwo asked her shortly, peering over at her from the corner of one glistening eye. He was now rolled up leisurely into a soft ball on the covers, his expression however resembled that of a pouting youngling so much that Amy had trouble suppressing a chuckle at the sight.

"Completely." she stated, grinning from ear to ear.


	10. Chapter Nine

_**Hello all you Happy Readers:)**_

**_Back from the Realm of Disappearance and with an extra long chapter for you all too. ;D_**

**_My sincerest apologies to everybody for this very long pause in activity up here from my part. :( Real Life has been exceptionally cruel over at my end recently. Due to "busy spells" thanks to university and an unexpected tragedy in the family of my best friend presented me with mind-numbing blows... Creativity had been chased far away from my person for long months and sadly, I failed to make progress on my projects... :(_**

**_I hope to change that in the future though...Right now, I'm in the middle of the exam season over here, but as soon as I'm finished, I would sincerely like to return and continue updating with the same frequency with which I have started. :)_**

**_I would like to thank you all for your patience and EXTRA thank you to all of you who have PM-ed me!!! Hugs to you!!!_**

_**I sure hope you'll enjoy my latest installment. :D I was playing with the idea of this chapter for quite some time now and if you start reading, you'll probably understand better why I needed to be in a pleasant mood to write it with all the cheerfulness it deserves. ;) **_

**_This chapter shall be dedicted to the wonders of music! And I most certainly know what these wonders mean. Music has always been essential for me, it is the very thing that keeps me going and makes me feel better in my darkest hours. I am quite sure I'm not the only person who adores music similarly. ;) So I do hope I'll manage to get you all into the mood of listening to some glorious songs!! ;D_**

**_I would like to make it clear: I do NOT own any of the musical genres or songs mentioned in this chapter and I do not intend to gain extra profit through them! "Once upon a December" belongs to Deana Carter, the original singer. :) There is also embedded reference to another fabulous singer in this sequence, however, I have slightly altered the names of both of these performers in my story, just in order to give the alternate dimension that is the Pokémon world a kind of unique atmosphere. :) The first singer you'll easily recognize by the name Carter. In the case of the second singer though...you'll just have to grab a mirror. :P // snicker //_**

**_(( I will state her name at the end of the chapter just to be safe. ;) ))_**

**_Alrighty, I think I have told everything that was on my mind... :P I shall allow the story to finally continue. ;))_**

**_Have fun reading everyone and hope to see you all real soon! Don't forget to review! ;D_**

**_-- Kirlien --_**

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_**Chapter 9:**_

Some time later, Mewtwo's eyes popped half open with a small start, the Pokémon lifting his torso a bit automatically as his senses roused to awareness again. For a moment, he glanced around the unfamiliar room with a drowsy look, at first not fully recalling where exactly he was…He had no idea when, but he had actually fallen asleep.

_""Oh grand…"" _he muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes softly. His headache, as usual, was still sensibly present, but its intensity had subsided somewhat yet again; the rest did help him so it seemed. ((_"I hate it when that girl's right…")) _Mewtwo thought to himself, searching the dorm with his gaze as he remembered the human female. She was nowhere in sight…

_(("All the better…")) _

The Pokémon carefully brought his feet to the ground, waiting a few seconds to see if the familiar dizziness would accompany the motion this time…thankfully though, it did not. Satisfied, he rose from the bed, stretching his limbs pleasantly. The faint question of Amy's possible whereabouts crossed his mind for a split moment, but just as fast, he dismissed it, not really paying attention to it from the start. He couldn't care less…even if she was different from others of her kind, she still remained a human…yet, why did it feel so strange not having her around…?

The thought remained dropped before it could've really been registered; for at that moment, a new type of sound diverted the Pokémon's attention. Mewtwo turned his head towards the door, his ears perking up at the tones floating into the room. They were faint, but they had an intonation he had never heard anywhere before…and thus, he couldn't identify.

Was that the voice of a human's too? It sounded vaguely familiar…but the distance and that door obscured a lot. Slowly, Mewtwo made his way across the chamber, his brows furrowing slightly. What _**was **_that he was hearing…?

The door opened in front of him at a steady pace, without him touching it with even one finger… It obeyed solely to his will. Without missing a beat, he took a cautious step outside, stirring curiosity getting the best of him.

The sound was flowing more clearly in the corridor now, reaching him undisturbed by obstacles. The Pokémon raised his head with awakening interest…with the tone more audible, he realized how pleasant it actually was. He didn't even fully know _what _he was hearing…but it felt strangely…inviting. Before knowing what he was doing, he took the first careful steps towards the source, intrigued…

With each step he took, the voice of the individual took up a clearer tone in his ears, gliding to the top at one point, only to drift down low again in the next…finally, it became crystal clear by the time Mewtwo reached the end of the aisle, which offered exit to a relatively small, but comfortably spacious balcony overlooking the garden outside, adorned with several plants ordered into pots along the way.

He saw the lights of the forthcoming sunset coloring the stones into a brilliant shade of orange, the sky playing in a wonderful display of further nuances high above…It all went beautifully well to that peculiar sound in the air…which gradually escalated in volume, till the very point where Mewtwo could finally distinguish the words that escorted its flow.

"_Far away, long ago,  
Glowing dim as an ember,  
Things my heart  
Used to know,  
Once upon a December…"_

Mewtwo stopped short in his track as realization suddenly hit home within him…He knew that voice…Was that really the brunette he was hearing outside? But what was she possibly up to…

Very carefully, he crept out into the open a bit, staying close to the wall in order not to draw unwanted attention to himself as he silently peered over towards the further end of the balcony.

Indeed, just as he assumed…there sat the young female, leisurely leaning back into a white chair, one leg resting set against the railing in front of her; she was holding some kind of device in her hand, one from which a fine cable ran up to her ear, disappearing among the streams of her shoulder-length hair; her head was bent back, her cheeks bathing in the rays of the setting sun, her eyes closed as she allowed the music to take her whole being over…she was singing along with the song she heard, her spirits taking flight at the sound of one of her favourite lyrics. The small Kirlia sitting across from her on top of the rail listened to her with complete delight emanating from her features, her own eyes staying closed as well as she silently hummed along with Amy's voice. Her slim legs were gently rocking back and forth on rhythm, in accordance with Amy's fingers which were lightly tapping the beat on one knee.

"_Someone holds me safe and warm.  
__Horses prance through a silver storm_.

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory…"_

The girl's voice held that last part of the verse vibrating in the air for several seconds, her smile doubling in size at the pure joy it awakened within her…and only a short distance behind them, a fine shudder ran through the listening Pokémon as well at the beauty he felt in that sound. He had never heard anyone singing before…

Just then, Kira's eyes opened suddenly, her calm expression shifting into one of surprised wonderment as she brought her head to the side with one swift motion, managing to catch Mewtwo himself off guard as her glance found his in the blink of an eye. Her sharp senses had picked up the presence of the third individual and as soon as she realized who it was she felt, she immediately hopped onto her feet, a small squeal escaping her beaming form.

"_Aaamyy, we have a visitor!" _she exclaimed with a merry chuckle.

The human girl's eyes popped open at hearing that; she swirled around quickly, all but jumping out of her chair in the process. Her mouth fell half open as she saw who it was Kirlia referred to.

"Mewtwo!" she gasped with a slight start, promptly removing the earphone from under her velvety hair. "Oh gee…Ho-how long have you been listening in…" she spluttered, her cheeks turning crimson red.

Mewtwo took one heedful step backwards, examining the girl's features with quiet interest. He wasn't exactly planning to make his presence known to the two individuals in front of him any time soon. However, it would've been futile denying his eavesdropping at that point… Kirlia caught him bare and square, and the thought actually amused the psychic creature. The little one had remarkable abilities…

_""Could not have been more than a couple of minutes…"" _he spoke up quietly, his gaze resting on the Kirlia's joyful expression a while longer. ""_It was not in my intention to disturb you."" _he added shortly after, meeting the brunette's astonished glance. Taking another step, he was about to turn around and retreat into the growing shadows, but Amy quickly stopped him with her raised voice.

"No-no please, don't go! I didn't mean it that way. You just caught me by surprise, that's all!" she said with a small chuckle, getting to her feet swiftly. Her words stopped the Pokémon in his track.

"_Don't worry about it! She does that all the time!" _Kira chirped in as well, stiffening a snicker with her hands raised to her mouth. _"Amy's very shy in front of others when she sings." _

"Kira…Sometimes you really should remember when to keep quiet." Amy muttered, sending a sideways glimpse of warning towards her Pokémon. "Though…yeah, why should I try to hide what's already obvious, right?" she then sighed, scratching the back of her head in a sheepish manner. "Alright, perhaps I do owe you at least some explanation." she began once feeling Mewtwo's eyes resting upon her person again. "You see, I love music immensely, and I pretty much tend to get carried away when I'm all by myself... Gwen and Kira are the only ones with whom I ever dared to share this degree of my enthusiasm…Singing's something I enjoy very much, it is like a remedy to me… but also something I only dare to do when nobody else can hear me." she told him, giving a small laugh as she concluded her sentence. She still had that blush on her face.

_""Singing…"" _Mewtwo repeated after her thoughtfully. _""_ _I have_ n_ever heard anything like it before…Sounds exceptionally nice."" _

"You think?" Amy peered over to him, a shy smile on her lips. Even if he did not notice, his words still held a kind of hidden praise within them towards her.

_""Yes…How come you do not want anyone to hear?"" _he asked her.

"It's not that I wouldn't want anyone to hear me. It's just…I don't consider myself the best sort of singer in the neighbourhood. I wouldn't want to end up in a situation that would cause people making fun of me in the end…Well, you know what I mean..." she tried to describe him her feelings about the matter, giving a faint shrug in between. "Guess I feel I can set my emotions the most free when I'm alone…"

"_Ehm…"_ Both of them looked down at the Kirlia who was now standing beside Amy with a playful scowl on her face. "Oh, right, how silly of me." the girl snickered quietly. "I'm not all by myself most of the times though. Kira regularly joins me in the fun when I'm in one of my "musical moods". She adores music just as much as I do."

"_Yep." _The Kirlia nodded her head eagerly as emphasis.

_""Hm… I still do not fully see why you would wish to hide a skill like this from others…There is nothing wrong with your voice, the way I have heard."" _Mewtwo told her with all honesty. He stated that with such simplicity, it caught the young girl completely aback.

"Really?" Amy asked back, baffled at first…the next second, her face lit up with an astounding swiftness. She felt herself blushing yet again, but this time, it was accompanied by a much more pleasant warmness spreading in her chest than the previous time. "Gee, thank you."

Mewtwo regarded the change in her demeanor silently, nodding his head in a barely perceivable manner.

For a few moments, none of the trio spoke a word.

"Would you like to hear the original singer?" Amy asked him suddenly, raising the small device, an MP3-Player, higher into the air for the Pokémon to see as well. Mewtwo examined it for a second, his head lightly tilted to the side, the motion telling Amy he had never seen such a recorder before. She could make out the lingering interest behind his look.

"It works like this, see…" she spoke up while removing the headset from the player. "You just have to push this button and…presto!"

With a barely audible buzz, the player came to life and the beautiful song performed by Adeline Carter filled the balcony with its gentle sound.

The pleasant tone of the instrumental opening caught Mewtwo's attention instantly and he gradually drew himself up further, his gaze steadily locked onto the device in Amy's hand. He was listening intently.

"_Dancing bears,  
Painted wings,  
Things I almost remember,  
And a song someone sings_

_Once upon a December__"._

Amy studied his reaction, a warm smile playing on her face. His expression shifted subtly as the song began; he unconsciously let the sternness of his features melt away somewhat as he concentrated on the music, his eyes partially closing while following the tune. It was indeed incomparable to anything else he had ever heard…

_""That is performed by a human being…"" _he murmured almost inaudibly, a thoughtful frown crossing his features for a moment.

"It sure is." Amy answered quietly, giving a bit more volume to the song that was playing. She was about to speak again in regards of Mewtwo's silent wonder, but she left her thoughts slip away again at feeling a light brush against her feet. The brunette diverted her glance downwards, smiling fondly at her Kirlia who just glided through between the two of them in a spectacular pirouette.

The little Pokémon had finally given free way to her own enthusiasm and swept across the length of the balcony, following the rhythm of the music in beautiful harmony. Swirling round and round, jumping into the air lithely, all but floating above the floor with delight. Kira was dancing happily, a bright smile vivid on her beaming face; she got so taken over by the song that even her aura became visible time after time, joyful sparkles filling the air around her in the process; a manifestation of the Kirlia's high spirits in the material world.

_""Your Kirlia seems to enjoy herself greatly..."" _Mewtwo spoke up quietly, following the little one's movement with his silent gaze.

"Yes, and how…" Amy replied gently. "She likes to do that so much when we're all alone. It is strange though…never before did she let herself go this much when there was another person in the same room with her besides Graham, Gwen and myself." She then cast a sideways glance at him, escorted by a friendly smile. "You must be a very special someone." she stated cheerfully, garnering a somewhat surprised look from Mewtwo.

_""Special? …Sure, special…"" _he muttered to himself somewhat sarcastically after a little while, lowering his head a bit in a way that mostly resembled a motion of quiet denial. However, his look suddenly shot upwards again, finding that of the girl's within the blink of an eye, now taking Amy by surprise.

_""Wait a minute…Did you actually just refer to your Pokémon as __**"she"**?""_

Amy blinked her eyes at the unusual question.

"Ah…yeah. She is a female after all." she said slowly, unable to guess how a simple utterance like that could've possibly triggered such amazement within Mewtwo.

_""**That**__ I am aware of as well."" _he shook his head with a frown. _""It is just … your choice of word there! I have yet to meet **any **one of your kind who would have referred to a Pokémon in similar fashion as to his fellow people."" _he told her, still somewhat baffled by what he had just heard.

"Oh, you mean the way most refer to Pokémon as "it", huh." Amy spoke up again, finally catching on to his train of thought. "Well, quite frankly, I _**despise **_such attitude towards your kind. Pokémon are living creatures as well, just as much as we are, no mere objects of senseless fighting like some tend to believe; and they deserve far better than to being referred to _**or **_handled as such!" she stated firmly, looking Mewtwo deep in the eyes. At that point, the psychic clone couldn't do anything more than simply gaze back at her with a rather disbelieving stare…

"What…?" Amy asked him a bit fearfully; she had seen him in a state of wonderment before, but never quite in such a deep one…

"Woa…" she suddenly breathed with surprise as she felt a small tug on one of her lowered hands.

"_Come along Amy, come along!" _Kira urged her with a sparkle in her bright eyes, pulling her partner with her in the middle of her motion. _"I like it better when you dance as well!" _

"You…" Amy chuckled merrily at catching the Kirlia's beaming gaze. She was so adorable when she did that…it almost felt like granting the wish of a small child. Amy allowed her to guide her a bit further out into the open of the balcony and just as the instrumental interlude intonated, she grasped Kira's hand stronger into her own and twirled the little ballerina round in a graceful motion, garnering an amused laughter from the Pokémon. "Fine, have it your way then…"

Even though she felt a bit awkward at the thought of having extra audience this time, Amy managed to gulp back her arising uneasiness and with a deep inhale, joined her little friend in the fun. After all, Kira wasn't the only one filled with passion towards music and dance…

The two of them glided back and forth in genuine unison, whirling around several times in gorgeous turns, Amy's movements becoming just as fluent and graceful as her Pokémon's.

"_Sing along Amy, sing along!" _Kira exclaimed as the lyrics of the song continued as well and Amy's heart took a sudden leap; now that was definitely new to her; her Kirlia being the one encouraging her instead of the usual other way round… The cheering reached her so abruptly however that she couldn't help but give way to a bright laughter; Kira's enthisasm touched her to the core of her soul and almost automatically, she opened her voice to the twilight, giving her best to follow the original singer, as well as she possibly could.

"_Someone holds me safe and warm.  
Horses prance through a silver storm.  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory..."_

"_Go Amy, louder!" _Kira prompted her loudly, never missing a beat in her motion. _"We- can't- hear- you!" _she chanted, successfully boosting her friend's spirits high. Amy involuntarily took a deep breath in response and as the following verse started, her voice rung out in perfect accordance with that of the singer's.

"_Far away, long ago,  
Glowing dim as an ember,  
Things my heart  
Used to know,  
Things it yearns to remember..."_

Her eyes closed as she let the music to take her over anew, her movement never seizing to follow that of the Kirlia's. During time, they had developed their own lovely patterns of dancing to most of their favourite songs and both of them were able to keep up with them without difficulty. Even though she was concentrating closely to the lyrics as well now, Amy moved on without making even one mistake in their private performance, the patterns of motion embedded deeply into her mind.

Eventually, they reached the closing sequence…

"_And a song someone sings…" _the words flowed on and with them, Amy gradually allowed herself to sink into a kneeling position on the ground, till the point where she and Kira were able to see each other straight into the eye.

"…_Once upon a December…" _Amy sung the last line of the song, filling it with her own soaring emotions, her Kirlia following the tune with the final series of colourful pirouettes around her human companion.

The instruments played the last tones of the beautiful music and finally, the song came to a gentle conclusion…Amy remained on her knees, bowing her head towards the Kirlia who in turn gave her a graceful curtsey while the music ceased.

The air turned heavy with stillness around them; and for several moments, Amy remained motionless, not even daring to lift her head again. She felt that familiar intense gaze upon her form…and even though she would've liked to, she couldn't bring herself to confront it immediately.

"Kirlia!" Kira spoke up cheerfully, smiling up at her with delight. _"That was so goood…" _

"Oh yes…sure was." Amy agreed shyly, returning the Kirlia's beaming smile faintly. Yes, how she enjoyed participating in such events… only, the situation felt to be a bit unusual to her this time…

"_See how well you sing? I always try to tell you. You just never believe me!" _Kira told her with a small wink. _"And your dance is sooo nice!! I love it when you do that! Isn't her dance nice Mewtwo?" _she added full of enthusiastic mirth, glancing over to the silent Pokémon standing not far from them, her look indicating she was waiting for an agreement.

At hearing that, Amy fearfully lifted her gaze as well with a weak sigh, peering over to their guest with tense anticipation, an almost apologetic look in her features…

He was standing there in complete stillness, regarding the two of them with a gaze Amy simply couldn't decipher…She felt his features to be completely unreadable at that point once more…however…there seemed to be a kind of peculiar gleam in his purple eyes…and Amy almost believed seeing that subtle change appearing in his usually stern expression once more…His deep amethyst look rested upon her for long moments; she shuddered inside. (("Geez…What could he be possibly thinking …?"))

And then…for a second, Amy seriously thought she was seeing things…Slowly, ever so slowly, his features shifted yet again, forming a soft smile on his lips…a small, but true smile.

_""Yes…very nice indeed."" _he said quietly, nodding his head once in agreement.

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_How was it even possible…even though what he had seen was undoubtedly real…A human and a Pokémon…moving together in such harmony…with such mutual understanding …Never would he have believed such existed; should anyone have told him differently, he probably wouldn't have listened to one word of it…but __**this**__ he had seen with his own eyes. _

_How he had tried to deny it…How he had tried to convince himself, to force himself to extra caution…and yet, after all what he had witnessed that day, what he had heard and what he had seen…he finally started to believe in it himself…This human… was indeed unlike any other._

_The way she behaved towards the ones who stood closest to her…the way she treated her Pokémon…she honestly cared about them all, Mewtwo could clearly see that now…and more importantly, he finally permitted himself to __**believe**__ it as well. Her caring attitude emanated through to him … and at times, he even felt the strangest of feelings surfacing timidly inside him…as if she would be really caring about him, too…_

_She had the most gentlest of personality Mewtwo had ever come to know in his lifetime…her constant cheerfulness left an invisible, but sensible mark within him and eventually…yes, he had to admit it…it wasn't half that bad being in her company. She seemed kind and understanding…and gradually, Mewtwo even risked to take a small step further as well in his ruminations…towards the point where he almost seriously considered…that perhaps, __**just **__perhaps, judging by her own behaviour, the other two persons living in the same home with her couldn't have been much different, neither…_

_That evening, those few minutes out there on the balcony once again showed him something completely new. He had seen emotions soaring in the sunset like never before…the way that girl lived through each sound of that music, just like her Kirlia did…it astounded him deeply, yet also, at the same time…it gave him a kind of solace…and certainty…he felt he had finally found proof; for someone who was able to open her heart to such an extent…couldn't have possibly been a bad person within. _

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It almost felt like a miracle had taken place that day outside on the "favourite-spot"…It never even crossed Amy's mind before that a possible solution for them all would eventually manifest itself in the form of music…

Mewtwo's hidden musical side reached her totally unexpected; and what a fantastic surprise it had been for the young girl! Perhaps this time they had indeed accidentally stumbled upon the terrain that could possibly prove successful in guiding the distrustful Pokémon towards a more opened kind of attitude.

Amy of course didn't want that opportunity to slip away from them; after a little bit of further coaxing, she managed to lure the purple one back with her into her room; she intended to show him some of her other favorite songs as well, in hopes of making him feel even more at ease.

How she had to chuckle as her assumption about Mewtwo's possible taste in musical genres turned out to be a direct hit!

"Ayne…I should have known!!" she snickered merrily as she turned the volume of her stereo up to the top, allowing the pleasant flow of the songs to fill their surroundings completely, drowning out everything else. Mewtwo didn't seem to mind the high volume at all…he was so carried away by the beauty of the melody he probably didn't even notice the change. He sat there, leaning back against the bedpost lightly, his eyes completely closed as he enjoyed the wonders he had never encountered anywhere before…Who would've thought he would eventually find something so pleasant to his senses in the middle of this by humans inhabited world.

_""I honestly would not have expected your kind to be capable of creating such refined material as this one…"" _he had said to her, smiling inwardly at the soft tones he was hearing. His words made Amy grin from ear to ear. "Gee, thanks a lot! ... I guess."

Her mirth felt like reaching the very skies that evening; and she felt all the more joyful after Gwen's return from the usual late afternoon outing.

It was another common habit of the two girls to wander around the surrounding streets and fields near their home together regularly, both of them keeping a sharp look-out for anything that would be worthy of capturing, either on paper or on digital tape. However, in regards of Mewtwo's condition, Amy did not dare leaving him all by himself in the house and decided to rather skip that day's walk in order to stay near him, just in case. Gwen didn't particularly like the idea too much; it was beginning to make her somewhat worrisome that Amy spent so much of her free time with watching over Mewtwo… her own hopes of finding mutual understanding with the wild Pokémon being far dimmer than those of her friend.

Well…at least, that had been the case until the moment when she carefully entered Amy's room shortly after her arrival…Amy sure pitied leaving her camera in the far corner of the room the day before; that look on Gwen's face would've definitely made one fantastic shot! The raven-haired teen apparently thought there must've been something wrong with her eye-sight…Mewtwo…in one room with Amy…both of them leisurely listening to Ayne's greatest hits?! It took a while for the brunette to finally snap her out of it, pulling her over to the bed as well where she and Mewtwo had been seated.

At first, it wasn't easy of course to persuade the two individuals into complete calmness. Both Mewtwo and Gwen turned tense noticeably in each other's presence and Amy needed all her creativity to rouse them out of their silence somewhat. Luckily though, a switch on the soundtrack to a more cheerful version of the characteristic music and Kira's eager assistance in the matter seemed to gradually ease the lingering tension in the air. Eventually, it was the little Kirlia who took the role of the speech channel upon herself, gently, but cheerfully urging the two to lighten up a bit and not to be so rigid in front of each other. Her efforts amazed her friend to no end, garnering a warm smile from Amy; her small Pokémon really did have a good heart. She promptly joined in as well of course and even though it took an unnervingly long time, Mewtwo finally eased himself to the point of accepting the other human's presence. The very first eye-contact had been made between Gwen and him, which was definitely a good start, and with Kira's help, a timid conversation began, quiet and shaky at first, but gradually becoming more steady and certain as time went by. The topic for the evening was naturally given; soon, Mewtwo was listening to them full with interest as the girls introduced a whole variety scale of different musical arts and their significance in human society to him.

All through their talk, Amy gave extra care to keep the choice of topics in the positive field. Mewtwo started to get real intrigued about the closer characteristic features, especially in regards of tastes which most members of the human race preferred. She was overly relieved about the path their conversation was taking; arts were the perfect terrain for Gwen as well, for in this topic, she felt herself completely at home. Amy allowed her to speak without disturbance, and as time went by, she was happy to see how Gwen eventually forgot about her nervousness. She let herself go more and more as she continued to tell him everything she knew about what it meant to be an artist; and to Amy's huge delight, Mewtwo showed her telling undivided attention. Almost unbeknown to them, one insistent boundary got silently crossed…

Amy proclaimed the night to be a complete success. Time flew by without either of them noticing and it had been well after midnight as the four of them finally found their way to their bed for some well deserved sleep.

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Long evening or none however, the rather early hours of the following morning already found Amy wide awake in her room. She was thoroughly excited due to the progress they had made and eagerly awaited the further results.

Understandably though, it took a lot longer for Mewtwo to eventually rouse as well…He had a lot to digest and after a day so full of unexpected twists and turns, he rightfully needed a good long rest.

Next time however, it was his turn to take everybody by surprise. After Amy arrived home from her usual courses, she almost fell flat on her backside in astonishment after nearly bumping into Mewtwo in the living room…He had come out of his dorm completely on his own, out of his free will, without being coaxed by anyone. Gwen, who had gotten home about an hour prior, greeted her friend with a broad grin.

"Yo Amy, I'm beginning to think this Pokémon ain't half that bad of a fellow after all." she whispered quietly into her ear, making her chuckle under her breath.

"Yeeees, who would've thought…" she drawled with a snicker, receiving a powerful push from Gwen in response.

Even though it seemed things were starting to take up a brighter light, Amy still felt herself pretty worried when it came to the question of how Mewtwo would get along with Graham in the end…The professor arrived in the late afternoon, only to be welcomed by the sight of seeing their guest in the ring of the four vigorous mischiefs, with Fergie, Chika, Kirlia and Boe surrounding the bigger Pokémon in a similar fashion as enthusiastic children their mentor. Mewtwo seemed to be more at ease than ever, silently communicating with the quartette in private telepathy. None of the three humans had any idea what they could've possibly been conversing about, but judging by the rounded eyes and beaming faces of the little creatures, it definitely must've been something highly entertaining to them. It was simply unbelievable…Mewtwo finally allowed himself to gradually open towards them, a little bit more with each step.

There was only one more obstacle that needed to be taken care of…

As the evening came, Amy and Gwen finally decided to try and organize a real meeting between the professor and the Pokémon. His steadily growing self-confidence and curiosity notwithstanding, Mewtwo had still been rather careful about avoiding Graham's nearness…The two girls however were determined to fix that.

It hadn't been comfortable for him as Amy patiently led him into the parlour; he knew what was coming and he still felt nervous about it. Even though it was clear to him as well that he probably owed his life to the professor's help…he couldn't bring himself to willingly confront him. Helpful, maybe…but still, he remained a scientist… exactly the type of human which definitely didn't rouse pleasant memories within Mewtwo's mind.

Gwen was the one escorting Graham into the room; she had advised his uncle to leave his usual lab coat far out of Mewtwo's sight, figuring it would perhaps make it easier for the Pokémon to concentrate on the actual individual instead of the bothering stereotype he was constantly seeing in front of his mental eyes…Even though his past still remained a complete mystery to them all, it wasn't hard for anyone to notice his distaste towards that coat. His gaze tended to turn so…piercing whenever Graham wore it in his presence.

The precautions were made; all that was needed now was the actual test.

The girls never had doubt in Graham for a second; he greeted Mewtwo with his characteristically friendly tone, behaving completely natural in front of the psychic creature. He left his mind opened to the Pokémon, for he knew how deep the insight of his kind could get; he wanted to show him he had nothing to hide from him and that he had no concealed intentions. He could tell how very suspicious Mewtwo was towards him, but hoped to make him realize it really wasn't necessary.

The Pokémon held his sternness for quite a long time; regarding the professor with an intensive glance with which he seemed to be examining him thoroughly, till the very depths of his being…It was remarkable to see how well Graham managed to keep his calm composure under that probing gaze…In fact, Amy was gradually starting to get more worried about Gwen, who was nervously fidgeting next to her all along; as time went by, her friend seemed to have taken over the role of the "worrier" more and more, as if wanting to help her uncle in his focus this way… But Amy's trust was relentless, in both Graham and Mewtwo. She bit her lower lip firmly, mentally keeping her fingers crossed…

Graham was ready to accept each direction Mewtwo would be willing to take in their conversation; and it quickly became evident what exactly it was that the psychic Pokémon wanted to hear about the most.

The professor patiently fulfilled his wish and began telling him in all detail about his fields of study and interest, of what his work as a lector and scientist really was about. Mewtwo was listening to him silently, his probing eyes fixed steadily upon the human's form.

A small distance away from them, Amy sighed quietly as she put the pieces together; it wasn't without cause that Mewtwo had chosen this topic; he wanted to learn more about this particular person's ambitions before thinking any further about granting him more of his trust.

An intriguing discovery indeed…how come he was so very suspicious towards the doings of a scientist…Amy's brows furrowed as she once again found herself contemplating this hazy spot in their Pokémon guest's history…They still had so much to learn about the mysterious creature. No matter how she tried, thus far, Amy had been unsuccessful in bringing him to reveal anything about his past; deep silence and instant retreat were his methods to block each of her attempts, reactions Amy didn't quite understand. Of course, she knew Mewtwo still held a rather great amount of his wariness towards them, his gradual progress of getting used to them notwithstanding…but still, it was strange…

Amy's thoughts were broken as she caught the movement in the parlour; the two individuals stood from their spot and she couldn't suppress her astonishment as she realized which direction the professor had taken, the Pokémon following him from a safe distance.

Graham had finally offered Mewtwo a tour in his small built-in laboratory, the one he used for his studies in biology. What better way was there after all in introducing one's fields of study to another person if not with allowing them to see it with their own two eyes? Mewtwo followed him without a word, motioning for the human to show the way.

Amy hopped from her spot on the floor where she and Gwen had been seated as the duo passed by. She looked at Mewtwo with slight traces of anxiety showing in her features, but there was no need for her to speak; Mewtwo had caught her glance.

_""It is alright. We will be fine."" _he answered her curtly before she could've even voiced her question about whether they should escort them or not…The girl was rendered completely speechless by that swift reply.

_(("My God…He's good.")) _she thought to herself with amazement as she and Gwen watched them disappear towards the basement.

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Time ticked by at a painfully slow pace and the two girls waited impatiently for them to return…After nearly two hours both of them were starting to get incredibly nervous. What the heck could those two be possibly doing down there for so long?! Amy was seriously contemplating going after them for a check, but Gwen advised that they shouldn't disturb the unlikely duo just yet. Who knows, perhaps they would only do more damage with it instead of good, she figured…Amy plopped back onto the sofa with a great sigh, sending a pained look towards the clock. It was getting close to nine pm… She could feel her Kirlia fidgeting a bit beside her.

"I know Kira, I know…Would be great to at least have a clue of what's going on down there right now…But till they don't return, I guess the only thing we can do is…Hey!!" she cried out as the Kirlia suddenly disappeared, teleporting away from her spot.

"Oh-oh…" Gwen muttered with a frown, her eyes meeting those of Amy. "Wanna bet where she had just gone to?"

"I believe you've just guessed it…" Amy murmured back, turning a bit pale. She greatly hoped that the ballerina would at least keep out of sight when appearing in Graham's domain a level lower…

After another ten minutes, Kira once again joined their circle, teleporting back into the sitting room, making both girls jump slightly. Surprisingly though, there was a huge grin visible on her face…

"_You…will…__**never**__...believe!" _she snickered, her mental voice breaking a bit with barely restrained excitement. _"They already have a talk only geniuses can!!" _

As the only thing she received in return was an uncomprehending look from the two girls, Kira addressed them again with an impatient huff. _"Aw come on!! You have to see this to believe!!" _she urged, practically jumping up and down in place from overwhelming enthusiasm. She all but flew over to Amy and Gwen, grabbing each of them by a hand; a colourful light filled their vision and the next thing the two teenagers realized was that they were standing right in front of the door which lead to Graham's laboratory.

"Woa…Kira, what's the big…" but Amy wasn't allowed to finish her sentence.

"_Quick, quick…I tell you, you __**have**__ to see this!" _Kira chirped, pointing at the door eagerly, even giving her partner a small push as emphasis.

Amy exchanged a baffled look with Gwen, who looked just as startled as she felt. Almost simultaneously, both of them moved forward, opening the door just a crack in order to take a quick peek inside…They could make out the low sounds of a quiet conversation in the distance…

What they saw after poking their head into the room carefully was a sight that made their chin drop…and that almost made both girls chuckle out loud in astonished relief as they finally processed what they were seeing…They've envisioned so many possible pictures in their mind during the long time of waiting of what could've possibly be happening in the basement below…But never would they've dreamed of finding the two individuals in such a friendly situation…with Graham leaning over a microscope, eagerly explaining something about a floral fossil in the typical scientific language that Amy and Gwen couldn't possibly decipher, which however seemed to be perfectly clear and understandable to Mewtwo who was standing right beside the professor, listening to each of his words like an intrigued student, waiting patiently for his turn to take a closer look at the sample through the same instrument as well.

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**_WOW! Long chapter indeed, wasn't it? ;D_**

**_I greatly hope it was well worth the waiting and I didn't disappoint anybody. :) _**

**_The greatest obstacles have been solved...YAYS! But oh dear...how long will the cheerfulness last... :O _**

**_Ye have been warned...startling action-sequence up ahead!! So don't abandon the story just yet please... :P_**

**_Once again, my sincerest apologies for the long wait. I hope to return to you soon and with another loooong chapter too. :)_**

**_Take care Everybody!_**

**_-- Kirlien --_**

****

**_Major Ps.: Well, did you have success with that mirror:P The result you should've received in the reflection: Enya. ;D_**

**_I do believe it is rather unnecessary to state: I do NOT own Enya or her beautiful songs. :)_**

**_Have a nice day! ;)_**


	11. Chapter Ten

_**Hey there Everybody:D**_

**_Kirlien reporting for update-duty! ;P Welcome to the promised and long awaited action scene// insert mischievous grin here //_**

**_Greatly hope I've done a good job, LOL! ...Especially since this chapter has been written by one who has NEVER played any of the Pokémon Games nor has seen greater amount of Pokémon Battle-Episodes to assist her in her process... Well, Poké-background or none however, I've had PLENTY of plot-bunnies to choose from! ;D With a little research to back me up, I've eventually completed this scene fairly well I believe...though that judgement shall be left to YOU of course to decide:) Can't wait for them reviews... // snicker :3 _**

**_Well, hope I had all the terminology right ... Now all that's left for me to do is to keep my fingers crossed. :)_**

**_You might be met by a wittle surprise near the end... mind you however, that bit there which some of you might find unusual in a traditional Pokémon battle, is in this case HIGHLY intentional! Heeeee... ;D_**

**_More info coming later... For now, sit back and enjoy the fun:))) _**

**_Kirlien out!_**

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_**Chapter 10:**_

"This is so incredible…" Gwen muttered happily as she and Amy strolled down the path with their Pokémon close behind them the following day, the little ones gleefully chasing each other around in the late afternoon sunshine. "I would've never thought we'll see the day of such improvement! Mewtwo has eventually settled in quite well, wouldn't you agree?"

"Ha, would I ever! Don't forget Gwen, I always had more faith in him than you did…" Amy chided with a mischievous grin, poking her friend in the side lightly. "And now, I'm feeling all the more confident…I don't know how long he'll be willing to stay with us after his healing…but quite honestly, I hate to think about not having him around anymore. I enjoy his company greatly."

"Yeah, I can see that." Gwen answered with a sideways glance. "You two have been practically inseparable from the start! ... Now don't you give me that look Amy! It's true. Who was the only person he ever let close to himself, hm? Not me, that's for sure, and definitely not Graham neither! You know, frankly, I admired you immensely for having the courage to be near him like that…I still support my earlier statement; he is a real wild one!"

"Yeah, but he does seem to have a good reason for being the way he is I believe…" Amy replied with a small frown. "Yes… if only we knew what that reason is though…" she murmured under her breath.

"You still couldn't bring him to tell you something about his life, huh?" Gwen asked her, a little concerned about the matter. "Don't you think that's…well, a bit out of the ordinary?"

"Well..." Amy said slowly, not really finding the right answer to the question; especially since it did worry her as well, just like it did Gwen.

"Perhaps there's more in the background here…Something he doesn't want anybody to know. Something…dark." the raven-haired teen carried on, allowing that last word to glide into an ominous whisper.

"Gwen, cut that out!" Amy cried with a small laughter. "What could possibly be so sinister in the history of a Pokémon?! I can't believe it to be that bad…"

"Are you so sure about that?" Gwen retorted, lifting one brow in skepticism. "I reeeally don't know…"

"Would you stop it already?" Amy told her with a disapproving glare. "I'm sure such suspicions are highly exaggerated… He probably had some rather bad experiences earlier in his lifetime that he wouldn't like to retell, or recall for that matter…That could be an understandable reason, don't you think? … Seriously, try to lighten up a bit, will ya'? I originally thought Mewtwo was the one with the most distrust around, not you!"

That finally garnered a small snicker.

"Yeah, well, you really can't blame me you know…He _**is **_still a stranger in our home, is he not?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't want to condemn him just because of that. I'm pretty sure there's a logical explanation for his silence as well. We just need to give it more time till we can finally decipher what it is." Amy said, hoping to calm the apprehensions of her friend again.

"Besides, you two have started to get along pretty well in the last few days too, nope?" she asked her with a broad smile.

"Aye…guess you're right." Gwen finally gave in, sighing a little as her fears started to ebb away. Amy was happy to see she was smiling once more.

"Beauti-flyyy!" a small cry came from above their heads and only a few seconds later Amy could already feel the soft brush of her butterfly's wings against her hair.

"It's okay Boe. We were just having a lil' chit-chat." she told him cheerfully, reaching up to pat the Pokémon on the head.

"You guys havin' fun?" Gwen called back to the others as well who were quickly hurrying over to join the group. Fergie and Chika ran several rounds around the feet of the duo in response, as if wanting to demonstrate the degree of their playful friskiness.

"I believe that's a definite yes." Amy chuckled, following their movement with her eyes. Then her gaze gradually drifted over to the further line of the surrounding trees, gauging the extent of how the shadows have stretched in the descending sunlight.

"It's getting dark soon…Perhaps it would be time for us to head home, don't you think?" she asked her friend, casting a swift glance at her watch. It was getting close to seven.

"Yes. It's getting pretty cold here in the shades, too. I wouldn't like to wait till darkness falls upon us." Gwen agreed, feeling a cool breeze coming to life in the growing dusk that made the golden leaves around them rustle loudly. "Alright fellows, let's get going."

They had a good chance of getting home in time before the last traces of light disappeared. They haven't wandered off too far from the street they lived in. The wooded area they were walking through lay not far from the border of the neighbouring houses, a good quarter hour walk at the most. Very long ago, it had been the nursery of an old couple who had dedicated their lives to tending to nature and environment. After their death however, the territory was left without an owner, leaving the trees and plants to grow on their own, gradually forming their small, independent wilderness, which offered a great treat to the Pokémon and younger folks of the neighbourhood.

That evening however, it seemed the two girls and their little companions had the land all to themselves. Not a sound could be heard nearby besides their own chatter and not a soul could be seen. It gave the girls a peaceful feeling, being outside on the fresh air with nobody around to bother them…However, the thought did cross their mind that it wouldn't be such a good idea to stay outside all on their own once darkness came. Thus, they decided to switch to a faster pace, calling out to their Pokémon to do the same.

"Come on everybody, don't fall behind! We wouldn't want to stay out here all evening now, would we?" Amy spoke up again at seeing Chika and Boe stopping not far, examining a den in the trunk of a tree. "You know the saying guys, curiosity killed the Pokémon! Come along, come along, or you'll be sleeping with the bats tonight." she joked with a vivid voice, grinning from ear to ear as the two Pokémon jumped from their spot next to the trunk immediately, hurrying over to the others once more.

"Better take her words seriously fellows…She just might make good on her offer." Gwen warned the two with a mischievous wink, sending a pointed glance towards her friend.

"Now Gweeen… Do I seriously look like somebody who would be capable of such a thing?!" Amy drawled back, giving her the most innocent of facial expression she could possibly muster. "Now you've hurt my feelings…I'm not talking to you." she sniffed with played depression, receiving a playful push from her friend in response.

"Aw, stop being such a cry baby!" Gwen scolded her, rolling her eyes theatrically. "I swear, nobody warned me about you being able to be such a pain in the…Woa!" she suddenly cut herself off as she practically bumped into Amy; for some reason and without a warning, the brunette had stopped dead in her track.

"Now what?" Gwen asked her, rubbing her nose that had collided with Amy's scruff a bit.

"Ooookay, was I just hearing things…or was there really some kind of rustle in the bushes nearby?" Amy frowned, scanning the area to their left with her gaze. She couldn't make out anything unusual in the scenery, but due to the growing dusk, it was getting pretty hard to distinguish anything unusual in the first place.

"Don't tell me you would actually go that far as to using that ol' trick on us." Gwen scoffed, giving Amy a look. "For in that case, you must be even more twisted than I originally thought!" she grinned with a snicker, believing that Amy was simply fooling around.

"Gwen…Do you honestly think _**they **_are just playing along as well?" Amy muttered, her demeanor turning worried all of a sudden. Gwen followed the line of her pointing hand with a puzzled glance; but she too quickly realized that this had to be more than a mere game as she saw the fearful expression appearing on the faces of their Pokémon. One by one, all four of them huddled closer to their owners, their eyes darting this way and that, as if looking for something in the shadows of the surrounding woods, their noses moving visibly as they examined the scent of the evening wind…and somehow, it didn't look like a sole reaction to Amy's statement.

"Alright, maybe not…_**What **_is going on again?" Gwen asked in a light whisper, feeling the stab of fright inside.

Amy only shook her head in response. She was still busy with trying to determine what it exactly was that made their Pokémon react in such a frightened manner. "I don't know…" she answered quietly. "We better…" she started, but her voice trailed off as a low growl reached their ears, its source indeterminable. Amy froze in place with shock…and so did all the others.

"Ah…Kira…please tell me you can make out what that is?" the brunette whispered to her Kirlia, feeling goosebumps spreading on her skin. If that was a wild Pokémon they were hearing…

The Kirlia stood right besides them, transfixed, her gaze bored into the twilight.

"_Hard to tell…It's too dark…" _

"Too dark… I know it's getting really close…I mean, that it is already nightfall, but Kira…That has never bothered you and your intuitions before." Amy spluttered, getting more nervous by the second.

"_I know…It's not the air that's dark…It's the individual…" _Kira muttered, her gaze unwavering. She was looking at a distant spot among the bushes…She could feel the nearness… _"It's dark…that Pokémon is dark…" _she said again with a shiver, one that almost sent her teeth chattering.

The two girls exchanged an incredulous glance, both of them feeling an incredible dread wrapping around their hearts at the tone of those whispered words.

The snuffing and growling started anew; something was moving in the obscuring shadows; leaves rustled, twigs snapped…and something, was nearing…

"Oh my Lord…" Gwen peeped as she and Amy finally managed to make out the creature's glowing blood-red eyes in the depths of the nearby bushes. "Oh my Lord…Amy… we're being stalked…"

The brunette felt her heart skipping several beats. She felt the little ones clinging closer to their feet, and Boe's gentle landing on top of her head…What were they supposed to do…What were they supposed to do now…All clear thoughts disappeared from her mind… She got paralyzed by fear.

Then, the ominous Pokémon gave one final, threatening snarl…and without warning, launched itself onto the startled group.

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The sight reawakened so many memories within him… of a time that seemed so long ago… of a place that lay so far away… even if it were only months that had passed since those days…to him, it rather felt like decades.

Mewtwo leaned against the railing lightly, his forearms resting leisurely on top of it. He enjoyed this subtle chance of complete solitude, perhaps feeling more at ease than ever in the last few days…It had been so long since he last had the opportunity of regarding the beauties of the setting sun. It had already been his habit back when he was still living on top of Mount Queina, along with his Pokéclone companions. He had thought it to be impossible, seeing similarly gorgeous sunsets elsewhere on the world as well… thankfully however, he had been proven wrong.

Moments like these have always given him the peace he so desired…and which he so rarely felt. It was the ideal setting for him to think about the many questions of the most mysterious entity existing on Earth…Life.

Life…the one thing he knew for certain he would never be able to properly comprehend…It was something not even the real dwellers of this world could possibly grasp, even though it was theirs to enjoy…So how could he ever hope to achieve it, who on the other hand…who's whole existence was nothing more than a morbid accident…

The clone lowered his head as he dived deeper into his rumination, feeling his heart sink…

Not long ago, he had drifted eerily close to the possible end of his visit in this reality…If it hadn't been for these strange people, he would've most likely left this world before even realizing it…Yet, had he felt concern about that at all…Ever?

No, not particularly…Living or dying… It just didn't seem important to him anymore. What would he loose with death…when he had nothing to loose in the first place… What would the world loose with his demise…Absolutely nothing. It would only be relieved from one further anomaly…

The passivity he felt even astounded him for a moment…but it didn't bother him the least. It was only natural to feel this way…for someone who was nothing more than a mere shadow in a world of light… an exception…an outcast…a ghost who preferred the night instead of the day…an abomination of science.

His features turned cold at these thoughts, his gaze drifting down towards his orbed paws…his fingers flexing unconsciously. He shouldn't even exist…

How in the world could these folks ever come to the thought of helping him…Why didn't those females simply leave him to his fate? Of all the species, how could _**humans**_ possibly show him such compassion, whereas he would probably be incapable of ever doing the same for them … Helping out some creature they didn't even know anything about? What was happening to the theory he had developed in his mind about the traits of human beings?!

He lifted his gaze at the setting sun on the horizon once more, a thoughtful expression on his face.

This would've been such a splendid opportunity…He was completely by himself… He could leave without any of them noticing… He could return to the wilderness, to the blissful solitude he had chosen … He could feel he was well enough now to manage it on his own… So…what was it that was keeping him from simply doing it? It would've only required one small thought…one tiny command of his will…but that will seemed to be missing…

A puzzled frown crossed his features at the unusual realization. Missing? How come? Wasn't that exactly what he had been waiting for ever since entering the home of these humans? Why…why was that will to simply leave then suddenly…missing?

……………………..

" 'Ey there Mewtwo! Admiring the view I see." Graham's voice broke into his thoughts, rousing the Pokémon back to the present. The professor stepped into the fading sunlight next to him, a pleasant smile on his bearded face. "Thought I would find you here. How are things going then?" he asked him cheerfully, following the route of the setting sun with his gaze.

_""Fine I guess…"" _Mewtwo replied quietly, still keeping his glance on the horizon.

Graham gave him a sideways look at the tone of his psychic voice.

"Really…If so, why the long face?" he asked him anew, garnering a small glare from the Pokémon.

_""I believe I am not obliged to report everything to you if I mistake not."" _he told him in response, slightly irritated…but he didn't feel any tension in the human's presence anymore. Their long conversation the day before had eased his apprehensions; Spivok proved himself to be quite a decent person in the end after all, unlike the way Mewtwo had pictured him to be… If only he wouldn't ask so many questions…

"Oh no, of course not, my friend." Graham chuckled under his breath silently. "No need to grumble."

_""…Who is grumbling…"" _Mewtwo murmured quietly, snorting a little.

"Someone who tends to be a real grouch?" Graham offered with an innocent smile, suppressing his grin at the nasty look Mewtwo sent his way. "No offense my friend, really! I'm just trying to guess the reason for a particular Pokémon's insistent sullenness, that's all."

_""Let me give you an advice, Professor…Drop the subject."" _Mewtwo told him with a frown, diverting his gaze away from him.

"A 'right…as you wish." Graham gave in with a nod, seeing he had caught Mewtwo in a moment when the Pokémon was just not in the mood for a talk…He didn't want to retreat just yet however. It felt good to finally have the purple one's approval of his person as well; and the professor didn't want to pass any chance of speaking with this fascinating creature, especially under such rare peaceful circumstances as the given one.

"It feels so strange, having the house this quiet all of a sudden, don't you agree?" Graham spoke up again after a while. "It's usually full of buoyancy and clamor…of course, with so many vivid little rascals around, it isn't a big wonder." he added with a fond chuckle. "And the girls…ah yes, the girls! What would I do without them…It always feels so eerily silent around here when not having them around…"

Mewtwo listened to his quiet monologue without showing any sign of reaction. Silently, he wondered why the human was telling him all this at all…but he _was_ listening. And ridiculous as it may have seemed to him…in a way, he could actually understand what Graham was speaking about.

_""Indeed…"" _he murmured finally, nearly taking Graham by surprise; it didn't look like the Pokémon was actually paying attention to him.

_""You talk as if they were real special to you…"" _Mewtwo spoke up after a short pause.

"Ohoa, they sure are my friend, they sure are!" Graham laughed out loud with a joyful sparkle in his eyes. "Without them, my life would be as bleak as a dried out river bed."

The elderly man then turned to the Pokémon once more. "Didn't you ever have somebody so close to you then, hm? The company of fellow Pokémon perhaps? Isn't there somebody waiting for you out there, wondering what could've happened to you?"

No reply came to that question…Mewtwo only lowered his head a bit in silent response; a motion that told Graham far more than the Pokémon would've ever thought.

"Hmm…I must say, I sure couldn't imagine myself living in complete loneliness without having anybody around me…" Graham said quietly, feeling he could suddenly understand Mewtwo's reticent nature all the more clearly. "A life such as that can't be easy…for anybody."

A longer pause followed in their conversation; the professor waiting in vain for an answer from the silent creature standing next to him. Mewtwo's gaze seemed to be gradually wandering away from him more and more, settling on a line of shady trees not far from them in the distance.

"I… honestly hope I didn't touch a sensitive spot there Mewtwo." Graham finally spoke up carefully, feeling worried that perhaps it was his choice of object that had caused the Pokémon's deep silence. "I'm afraid I tend to simply allow words to stream freely without really noticing at times. Aye, I can't even keep up with the number of remarks I've received from Gwen and Amy in regards of this trait of mine anymore…I'm telling you, they never fail to surprise me with that colourful vocabulary of theirs when it comes to teasing somebody!" he spoke up a little brighter this time, hoping to guide the conversation into a more pleasant atmosphere. "Ah, how I remember, there was this one time when the three of us decided to go to the mall together and I just couldn't help but share a piece of my views about all these completely zany products the two of them were planning to purchase…Ahm, Mewtwo?"

Graham's brows furrowed as he watched the Pokémon steadily straightening to his full height next to him, his intense gaze seemingly bored into the distance; and this time the professor had the definite feeling that Mewtwo wasn't simply ignoring him; the psychic creature was paying attention to something completely different instead of his rambling speech…The stern expression appearing in his features made Graham certain about that.

"Is something wrong?" he asked the Pokémon carefully, attempting to find the source of his interest as well.

_""…Not sure…"" _Mewtwo murmured quietly, his stance unchanging…His muscles tensed slightly under his lavender-colored fur.

_""Hold on a second…"" _he spoke up again and without warning, his light-blue aura appeared out of nowhere around him, enclosing his body with a shimmering shine. Graham took a swift step backwards with a start as the Pokémon rose into the air suddenly, startling the professor.

Never before did he show any of his powers openly to the humans around him and the current exception caught Graham completely unprepared…He had no idea the Pokémon had recovered to such an amazing extent in such a short time…

Within a few moments, Mewtwo flew high above the roof tops, his sharp gaze scanning the area unremitting…There was an unsettling sensation rising in his chest, a feeling which he couldn't quite place this time, but knowing from earlier experience that it was never to be taken lightly…and with each minute, the mental alarm spread further in his veins, making him all the more certain…There was definitely something amiss. Somewhere…something…someone…

His eyes glowed dimly in the growing dusk as he tried to determine the source of the internal warning. He listened inwards, drowning out the mild noises of the surrounding world for a while…Slowly, a picture was forming in his mind…For a second, there seemed to be a mental presence lingering in the evening breeze around him…and suddenly, it hit him.

His gaze immediately shot over towards the exact direction from which he felt the faint mental cry for help drifting to his senses and without a second thought, Mewtwo darted off towards the nearby tree-line with dazzling speed, leaving behind a baffled professor down on the balcony.

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The Houndoom leaped high into the air from among the dark bushes, landing right in the middle of the terrified group, scattering both humans and Pokémon apart… It was only due to sheer luck all of them were able to avoid its snarling snout in time.

"Holy cow!!" Gwen swore loudly, stumbling away further from the wild creature with her Furret and Chikorita close by her side. "Wha-What the hell gives?! What ever did we do to garner such an attack, you?!" she yelled at the Pokémon with her arms stretched out to the sides in helpless anger and fright. She couldn't believe what she was seeing…

Amy was just as perplexed as her friend was. She stared at the phenomenon wide-eyed, feeling her heart racing with fear. She knew a Houndoom when she saw one…but this beast crouching not far for another attack was unlike any she had ever seen before. It had a remarkable size, its powerful muscles giving it an incredibly strong build-up. The long horns on top of its head shimmered threateningly in the mist, the bony collar around its neck and the flashing white of its sharp teeth making it look devilish in the growing darkness. But its eyes…its eyes were the ones that sent the strongest shivers down her spine. They were blood-red, glowing with a deadly scarlet light. What they were facing looked like a genuine hell-hound which had just escaped from a horror movie…and for some reason, it was thoroughly mad with rage.

"Is this really necessary?!" Amy joined in with a shaky voice, knowing all too well from the start that this Pokémon wouldn't show understanding to a word they were saying to it. Why was she even trying, she thought with frustration.

And indeed, just as she assumed, the Houndoom vaulted forward anew with startling swiftness, to Amy's great horror bolting straight for Gwen and her Pokémon. The raven-haired teen winced with a start, taking a few quick steps backwards…but managed to keep enough of her composure to give the command to her Chikorita.

"Chika! Leaf Blade!!" Gwen yelled with all her might. Her Pokémon acted immediately at hearing the bidding and released a volley of razor-sharp leaves at the advancing adversary. However, it was of no use; the Houndoom evaded the attack with astoundingly fast moves of agility and continued onwards, never slowing down.

"Vine Whip!" Gwen shouted anew as the hound reached them and Chika's tendrils shot into the air in a nanosecond, with just enough swiftness to catch the Houndoom off-guard. It received a powerful hit, its head jolting to the side as a result…but that score only pissed it off even more. With its next move, the Houndoom succeeded in grabbing one of Chika's swinging vines, startling the little Pokémon. She gave way to a painful yelp as the Houndoom's bite intensified; within a blink of an eye, the dark creature jerked its head back with a force that sent the poor Chikorita flying.

"Chika!!" Gwen cried with fright as her Pokémon hit a nearby tree-trunk with a loud thud. The Chikorita fell to the ground with a small gasp, the air knocked out of her lungs. Her tendrils went limp from the blow that had dazed the young grass-type. But the Houndoom wasn't finished. Still snarling, it began to drag its opponent anew, preparing for another round of hurls…but it didn't get the time for it anymore.

Fergie, the least intimidating Pokémon from the quartette, took the Houndoom by surprise with a tackle attack. Even though the Furret didn't have as many extra abilities as his comrades did, he wasn't about to allow some wild Pokémon beating up one of his closest friends!

"Oh crud…Fergie, be careful!!" Gwen cried out with fear, still taken aback by the stripy creature's sudden assault. She didn't even get to give any commands…The courage of this little fellow even left his owner dumbfounded.

"Boe, help him out, quickly!" Amy told her Beautifly as soon as she recovered from her own shock. A determined frown started to appear in her features. They won't allow themselves to be bested that easily…

"String Shot!" the brunette cried as her Pokémon shot towards the wrestling duo. Strings made of fine, silvery substance bound the Houndoom's hind legs together, jolting the creature out of balance. As soon as the hound fell, its grip on Chika's tendril seized and the Chikorita was free once more. Fergie somersaulted off the Houndoom's back with a small yelp, landing not far from his fallen Poke-friend.

The Houndoom's attention was now diverted towards the butterfly circling around its head and it wasn't the least bit impressed by the annoying Beautifly's interference.

"Boe, Silver Wind!!" Amy cried out to her Pokémon. "Don't let it get up!"

The Beautifly complied immediately, sending a powerful blast of revolving air-stream against the recovering Houndoom that had just broken free of the bindings. Boe scored a direct hit, sending the bigger Pokémon all but soaring through the air. However, the hound did a surprisingly well performed flip during its flight, landing on all four of its feet again. It didn't look like it had sustained any severe injuries from the Beautifly's attack… instead, it got all the more furious. The howl emanating from its throat made everybody's hair stand on end…

One super-quick tackle and the Beautifly landed right in the middle of his two comrades from the blow he received from the Houndoom's strong horns.

"Shoot…" Amy hissed under her breath, her shivering intensifying. "Kira…it's up to you now…" she addressed the little ballerina reluctantly. Up till then, she had greatly hoped she wouldn't have to ask her Kirlia to fight as well…She wasn't sure whether Kira would be ready to handle such a situation again after her painful experiences with her earlier trainer…not to mention the fact that worried her the most; dark types usually were immune to psychic attacks…However, to her surprise, that light shining in the small Kirlia's glistening eyes spoke of a far deeper determination…She was ready to defend her friends, dark memories, dark Pokémon, or none!

"Kirliaaa!!" With a loud cry, Kira charged up her psychic powers, her bright, colourful aura appearing around her slender form. She aimed and fired a massive ray of concentrated energy at the Houndoom who was about to dispatch the Poke-trio in front of his muzzle. It snapped its head up at the cry, just a little too late...the impact ensued with a loud boom, knocking the Houndoom back several meters before it hit the ground with a big thud, dazed from the score.

"Wow!!!" Gwen shouted in amazement, gaping at the sprawled Pokémon.

"Kira, that was brilliant!!" Amy yelled with awaking hope and enthusiasm. That was the biggest blow their attacker had received during the whole battle…Kira was indeed stronger than one would've thought at first glance! Perhaps they still stood a chance…

The Kirlia jumped into the air, shooting over towards the dizzied Pokémon while charging up a new assault, forming a multi-colored sphere in front of her body.

Just then, a low, menacing growl could be heard from the dark creature... It got up from the ground, perfectly unharmed except for the hit it had received from the harsh landing. Just as Kira was ready to toss her ball of light at it, the Houndoom opened his mouth as wide as it would possibly go and as Kira launched her sphere, it responded with an attack of its own…the most powerful one yet. Scarlet flames of fire shot out of its throat, heading straight for the approaching light sphere…and to everybody's horror, the sphere got instantly consumed upon impact…

"Shoot!" Amy cried with terror. What she had feared just became shockingly true. "Kira, watch out!!!"

The Kirlia yelped in fright at seeing the advancing inferno and quickly summoned up her barrier, pumping as much power into it as she possibly could in such a short time…but it wasn't enough…The flames engulfed her form with horrifying speed and catapulted the Kirlia backwards as if she had been hit by a huge baseball bat…and after a few seconds, the intensity of the fiery heat shattered her shield, exposing the Kirlia's body to the raging attack.

The cry of anguish cutting through the night made Amy's heart stop in shock…

"Kiraaa!!" she shouted, launching forwards to catch her Pokémon before she could've hit the hard ground. The momentum of the Kirlia's flight caught her unprepared and knocked her clean off her feet, sending her to crash onto her back with Kira in her arms.

"Oh crud…" Amy gasped, feeling her heart racing in her throat as she looked down upon her Kirlia…the sight sent tears welling up in her eyes. Kira's frail body was completely scorched…The little Pokémon was rendered nearly unconscious, tremors rushing through her figure as she tried to take in raspy breaths…

"Kira…no…"

"Amy!!!" The brunette's head jerked up at the terrified cry of her friend and what she saw nearly scared the living daylight out of her…The Houndoom was charging right their way at full speed, baring its horrible fangs, its eyes spelling permanent doom to her and her Kirlia…

Her mind was nearly screaming at her to move, to get out of the way…but her body wouldn't respond…it got thoroughly numbed by fear.

"No…" she whispered, staring at the Houndoom as it leaped high into the air, ready to tear them apart. "Stoooooop!!!" she yelled with all her might, rolling onto her side and clenching her eyes shut, holding her Kirlia in an impenetrable embrace, trying to shield her Pokémon as best she could…and awaiting the unavoidable…

However, the blow wouldn't come…

All she heard was a loud grunt from the wild Pokémon above them and a sudden cry from Gwen not far…As terrified as she was, she still managed to risk a sideways glance upwards, to see what was causing the delay…They should've been ripped to pieces by now…

Her eyes grew large at the sight…The Houndoom was levitating only mere inches away from them, suspended in the air, its flailing limbs unable to reach them, as hard as it tried…The light blue gleam enveloping its body wouldn't allow it.

"Huh…" Amy breathed, having trouble believing what she saw…What was going on?

The next moment, the Houndoom got hurled backwards with neck-breaking speed, way topping the rate at which it had knocked Kira out only moments ago…It gave way to an ear-splitting howl, which was quickly cut in half however as the Houndoom impacted with a nearby tree with a force that sent almost half the autumn canopy raining down upon its motionless body…

_""Do not even think about it…"" _a quiet, but all the more angry whisper echoed through the minds of the participants; a familiar voice that nearly made Amy leap from her spot on the ground, had she not been too stunned to move…

"Woa…" Gwen's voice could faintly be heard as a shadow glided down from seemingly out of nowhere, landing right in front of Amy and her wounded Kirlia, effectively shielding them from further counter-attacks…

_(("I don't believe it…")) _Amy thought to herself, staring up at the Pokémon as he swiftly turned towards them for a moment, taking a glimpse at the fallen duo…

"Mewtwo…" she managed to mutter, awed by the imposing sight of the creature who was now standing in front of them in a whole different light than ever before during their short acquaintance…The deep glint in his amethyst gaze, the steady light blue aura of his being…power and confidence was emanating from his posture and it was more than evident to everyone who looked upon him…He meant business.

_""You alright?"" _he asked briefly, sending an inquisitive look towards the brunette who was still too dumbfounded to move.

"… Have seen better evenings…" she murmured, forcing a small half-smile onto her face.

Mewtwo responded with a grim sigh, returning the expression of the girl faintly before directing his full attention back to the antagonistic Pokémon that was scrambling to its feet again.

It sent a particularly nasty snarl Mewtwo's way, growling something in typical Pokémon talk.

"**Hoooooun doom…"** its eerie voice made the night itself shiver with fear.

_""Not this time, I can assure you…""_ Mewtwo answered to the threat, his brows furrowing even more in concentration…and obvious anger. He stood the wild creature's ominous stare, perfectly unfazed. ""_Give me your best shot…""_ he challenged, to the fright of both humans…and within mere seconds, all hell broke loose once more as both challengers dived into furious action.

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**_Whoooooot!! First real cliffhanger of the story!! Ayeeeeee!!! ... Meanie, aren't I? xD_**

**_Surprise-surprise...LOL! ;D_**

**_How did you all like:D Did I do a decent job? I certainly hope so... :)_**

**_Whoolies...Now WHERE did that Houndoom possibly come from?! Noice question to contemplate, ey// evil snicker // Things are slowly starting to unfold further...how exciting:D _**

**_Those of you who might have wondered how Mewtwo pulled that trick off (( him being able to levitate a dark type in midair )) ... longer description added next time :) // Peace // _**

**_Greetings to all of you and a Merry-Happy Christmas in Advance! _**

**_// sits back and awaits Review-Fairy // _****_;P_**

**_Hugs,_**

**_-- Kirlien -- _**


	12. Author's Note

**_Hello my dear Reviewers! :)_**

**_Kirlien returning from the busy realms of Real-Life for another row of updates. ;) _**

**_My sincerest apologies for being away for so long… University is making my schedule pretty full indeed, thus my continuing pauses between chapters. :( _**

**_However, where it may distract me from more rapid responses, it will most certainly never make me abandon this story…for I shall NOT allow that to happen! xP_**

**_I would greatly like to take this tale to its very end and I will most definitely see to it that we will get there as well! :)_**

**_My newest chapter is nearly finished and update-ready; I plan on uploading it within the next few days, on this week's weekend at the latest, if all goes well. :D_**

**_For now however, I would like to give you all a "short" Author's Note for the meantime. :)_**

**_First of all, I would like to once again tell you all how very grateful I am to each and everyone who has replied to my story and encouraged me to move along and continue my writing. :D :D :D _**

**_I would like to say extra "Thank you!" to Gojira4Life for the kind assistance given to me :) ; to WiseAbsol for her sincerity in pointing out flaws in her immensely appreciated constructive criticism ;) ; and a warm welcome to all you new reviewers and many thanks for your kind responses! :D_**

**_Also, I would like to thank everybody for their continuing patience with me... :P YOU ALL RULE! --group hug-- n.n_**

**_Secondly, I would like to write a few words to you in connection with the course of actions I am about to take in my next chapter and in the sequences following afterwards._**

**_Yes, I agree…I might have run a little overly enthusiastic while writing my previous chapter. :P Which shouldn't necessarily be a complaint, since enthusiasm is good. n.n But indeed, I do think it might have triggered me into submitting my chapter a little too eagerly…Once I have finished the storyline completely, and made sure that the tale itself is properly completed, I shall take extra care to carefully re-read the relevant chapters and correct any dialogues, expressions, typos or terminology I might have mixed up or typed wrong in the past. :) (( The only reason why I don't do it right away is due to the lack of free time… Bah. X( ))_**

**_Now, I have promised a few further details and explanations to you all in connection with certain story matters… ;)_**

**_One major point I feel which needs to be addressed here: Mewtwo's psychic powers. I understand many of you probably viewed his actions in Chapter 11 out of the ordinary; like him being able to levitate a Dark Type Pokemon with his psychic abilities, even though that usually never happens under normal circumstances. Well, I totally agree with you there, and trust me, this specific knowledge, I already had myself when starting to type the battle sequence. ;) HOWEVER: My fantasy started tingling right there. I got extremely intrigued, since once my decision about the eventual battle scene came to being, I realized an interesting fact: Nobody ever actually had the opportunity of seeing either Mew or Mewtwo battle a Dark Type Pokemon before...well, at least nothing of the sort occured in either official movies! O.O _**

**_Well, that certainly left my mind soaring...I smelt possibilities in the air. ;D And this is the perfect spot for me to confess, from this point on, my story will probably start to take up a more AU tone than ever before... After all, Fanfic dot Net itself offers us this one important advice: "Unleash your imagination!" And that is exactly what I intend to do. ;)_**

**_Now, the way my imagination attempted to remedy the hazy spots in this knowledge about certain facts in Pokemon History brought up the following possibility: Mewtwo has been cloned from a fossilised remnant of the legendary Pokemon Mew. That fact alone implies he has special level capabilities resting within him, waiting to be released should he need them. However, I also found another part of his origin important in my musings: He is a clone. An "enhanced" replica of his legendary counterpart. Quoting the words of the very scientist who had once been the leader of Mewtwo's creators: "You are greater than Mew, improved through the power of human ingenuity!" ... Hmm... Improved...What exactly does that imply? Who could tell for certain...We don't really know the extents of the truth lying within this statement, do we? ... Well, I have decided to explore the depths of this implication a tad bit further than it has been in the movies. ;) And in my opinion, having Mewtwo duel against a Houndoom provides one intriguing setting to do so! ... I never even realized this until I've actually started working on it. O.O _**

**_My conclusions have turned out the following way, and hopefully, I shall offend nobody with the extent through which I have allowed my imagination to guide me. :) ... Mewtwo's psychic powers most certainly surpass those of more "ordinary" psychic Pokemon; after all, otherwise, he wouldn't be called one of the most powerful Pokemon in the world. ;D Thinking about it more closely, surely, when cooking up his master plan of creating the world's strongest creature, Giovanni most certainly intended to remedy the possible weaknesses a psychic Pokemon may have just as much as he intended to boost the abilities a psychic being already possesses. Thus, the manifestation of this enhanced power level, in my book, shall be as follows: _**

**_Mewtwo's powers do not remain without effect when battling against a dark type Pokemon. Dark types have a psyche as well, just like any living being does. They may be extremely immune against attacks of the kind which form Mewtwo's main source of abilities; however, since it is no everyday Pokemon we are dealing with here, the odds are more evened out. In my storyline, Mewtwo shall have the power to overcome the natural barrier dark types possess against psychic assaults...to a certain extent. The effectiveness of his psychic forces on the person of a dark type shall be dependend by the following circumstances: how many adversaries he has to face at once, how many of these adversaries are dark types and how far ahead in a battle the party is already situated. According to my calculations, Mewtwo's capability of inflicting any effect or damage in a dark type will depend on how much of his focus he can direct againts his foe directly in a given moment and how much energy he has left in the duel...These visions of mine shall truly come into view in later chapters...where the true conflicts of this tale are due to arise. ;)_**

**_(( On a quick side-note though...Naturally, due to the limited effectiveness of Mewtwo's powers, most definitely, he won't solely rely on psychic moves in his upcoming battle. :) )) _**

**_Well, I sincerely hope I didn't bore anyone with my lengthy description of these ideas of mine...I just wished to clear some of my views. :) Hope this is okay with everyone up here... n.n"_**

**_Okay, second point I intended to mention here...and which will be my last for today, I promise... :3 ... is connected to the all-mysterious and ever-ferocious Houndoom...Yes, I am fully aware, dark type or none, a normal Houndoom shouldn't be THAT ferocious!...Ah yes, indeed...But, whoever said it was a free-spirited, nature-dwelling Houndoom? ;) I certainly didn't...LOL! :P No, he is one wild and ruthless beast right here...and why that is so, you will all find out once the chapter containing the info arrives. :) And that shouldn't be all that far away, actually... n.n _**

**_Well...I believe everything I had on my chest has been mentioned...for now. xP Hope I didn't get anyone fall asleep with my record-long author's note... -- sheepish grin -- Next time around, I shall once again present to you a new chapter, and I can already promise you...It will be LONG! :D (( And hopefully better prepared than my previous one, lol... xP ))_**

**_Hope to see you fellows again real soon, if not sooner, than on the weekend hopefully! :D :D :D_**

**_Take care everyone!_**

**_Kirlien Out...for now. ;)_**


	13. Chapter Eleven

_**Hello there all you happy people! n.n**_

**_Back as promised with my newest chapter! :D :D :D_**

**_MAN, I seriously lost count of how many times I have re-written this one... O.o I sincerely do hope the final version will be of your liking my friends!! :) There will be a LOT happening here, so you should have quite a few exciting things to read! ;D _**

**_I feel I should warn you though... Quite a vivid action scene and tension-waker-continuation up ahead...Content may not be suitable for younger readers... - peace- ... But this chapter will have more than just that, trust me! :D_**

**_Oh, and to those who might have wondered...there WILL be more angsty stuff coming up in later chapters. ;) _**

**_For now, have fun reading and I hope you'll enjoy this new installment! :D_**

**_Can't wait to hear your opinion! "wink-wink" n.n_**

**_-Kirlien out-_**

**_--_**

_**Chapter 11:**_

The Houndoom darted straight for its new adversary, its movement greatly assisted by agility, fangs ready to tear his enemy to shreds as soon as the opportunity came… However, the Pokémon only succeeded in snapping thin air as Mewtwo teleported out of the way. Within almost the exact same second, he re-appeared right behind the dark canine, sending a full-powered kick between its shoulder blades.

The Houndoom, caught effectively by surprise, rattled a short gasp from the force of the impact, nearly loosing its balance during landing. It didn't give in though, and as soon as it felt solid earth underneath its paws, it swirled around for further assault. Much to its fury, Mewtwo easily evaded each of its swift bites, paying extra care to its sharp horns and spiky talons. The Houndoom couldn't catch him off guard; the lithe body of the feline slipped from its grasp time after time, no matter how hard it tried to keep up with him. Occasionally, he merely teleported out of the way, only to send further blows towards the dark creature the very next moment…which in contrast, didn't miss.

His arms may have been slim, but Mewtwo's muscular legs and tail proved to be of quite powerful assistance in his battle against the canine of shadows; and he was well aware of that. The Houndoom suffered thunderous hits that could have easily smashed a human being's ribcage to pieces. Mewtwo's attacks were merciless and the spectators were seriously wondering how it was possible for the devilish foe to still summon enough energy to even stand, yet alone strike back…in the person of Mewtwo, it had found its true match.

The Houndoom got tripped anew and in an instant, it was sent sliding across the autumn ground of the forest by the accurate hit it received from the muscular tail of its opponent. It gave way to a menacing growl, rage building up within its darkened soul.

Meanwhile, Amy stared wide-eyed at the battling duo from afar, taking in each and every move Mewtwo used with astonishment in her gaze…She had never witnessed a psychic type Pokemon being able to adjust its battle strategy with such precision in a tight situation like this one. He was strong…Incredibly strong! And he was just starting to get real serious, this she could feel…

"Amy?" the brunette nearly winced at Gwen's gentle touch on her shoulder. "You okay?" she asked her, worry shining in her features.

"I…I am. But Kira…" she muttered, sending an anxious glance to her Kirlia. The little one was panting quietly, one eye slightly opened as she peered over to the contestants as well. She had rolled up into a small ball in Amy's arms, trying in vain to shut out some of the pain from the deep burns all over her body.

Gwen gulped at the sight of the hurt Pokémon, and Amy could faintly register the presence of the others as well who were now assembling around the two girls.

"…Flyyy…" Boe peeped, holding onto Amy's other shoulder with his little paws as he looked down upon his friend with a sad expression.

"How are we ever gonna' get out of this one…" Gwen murmured under her breath, following Mewtwo's movement with her eyes. "You think he can win?"

"Gwen…Just look at him…" Amy whispered back, too awed to divert her glance from the scene.

The Houndoom got hurled through the air once more, narrowly avoiding collision with another tree in the process. It howled in frustration as it landed on its feet, glaring daggers at its foe.

"**Houn doooooom!!" **it snarled with defiance and started taking in a huge breath as it gathered strength for its Flash Fire.

"Oh no, not again…" Amy hissed with fright as she caught the Pokémon's intention. "Mewtwo! Watch out!!" she and Gwen shouted loudly in unison.

But he was long since ready…The Houndoom set the tornado of flames loose, its attack fully charged, the Pokémon giving all it had into the firestorm. The flames rushed forward, their radiating heat even reaching the huddled up team of onlookers.

Mewtwo quickly took up a steady stance, gaining a firm foothold on the forest soil. He didn't make a move to get out of the way…by the pace the attack was coming, it would've been pointless anyway. Instead, he outstretched his arms and braced himself for the impact…

The fire reached him with an ear-splitting blast, making the girls and their Pokémon shriek with terror…Mewtwo vanished from their sight within the blink of an eye, the raging flames the only visible thing left.

"…_two…" _Kira muttered, her eyes widening slightly. The intensity of the bright light hurt Amy's vision, causing her eyes to start watering…she felt a great lump rising in her throat.

((_"No… it cannot happen again…")) _

Then however, to everybody's shock, the curtain of blazing hell started to part, gradually revealing the form of the psychic creature. Flames danced along the surface of his translucent shield that surrounded him like a protective orb, his eyes shining with an even brighter blue glow than his crimson environment. Mewtwo gritted his teeth from the effort to keep his defense steady against the mighty attack; he got pushed back several feet from the shot, but to everyone's amazement… his shield remained unwavering.

Finally, the Houndoom's fiery breath lost its momentum and the flames ceased, allowing Mewtwo to release his hold on his defense as well. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief, his shoulders drooping a little; that was one heck of a power level. The Houndoom was indeed a powerful opponent…but even so, it had its limits all the same. The canine was panting heavily from the strain it had taken while unleashing his greatest attack yet…and quite noticeably, it was completely dumbfounded to see Mewtwo standing there in front of it without a scratch on his body.

"**Houn…Houndoom…" -- "What…are you?!" **it grumbled under its breath, staring at him with disbelief.

_""You have had your chance…"" _Mewtwo spoke out loud with an even tone, leaving the creature's baffled question unanswered. _""Now, it is my turn."" _His expression hardening, he exhaled steadily, focusing his powers on a whole different level...the purple irises of his eyes turning brilliant blue, he prepared to mould his psychic force into something that not even the fiercest of Houndooms could withstand... All spectators shivered as his body got gradually enveloped with an intense glow, one so radiant it nearly bordered the lights of white rather than icy blue...The energies emanating from his being swirled around his form in spectacular patterns, moving towards his paws as he slowly lifted his arms, a motion that seemed familiar to the now speechless Amy...With movements quite similar to the ones Kira used in her last attack, Mewtwo began to centre the pulsing energies within his grasp, forming a massive globe; one growing steadily in diameter as he proceeded with his concentration.

Not far away from the unfolding scene, both girls stared at the phenomenon wide-eyed, thoroughly shocked...This couldn't have been a common psychic assault, both of them felt that... no, it resembled much rather... a full-powered Hyper Beam...

The light emanating from the core of the forming globe enclosed its wielder in an unearthly glow, providing a breathtaking spectacle to all present. Even the Houndoom seemed to shiver briefly at the sight, but regained its composure quickly, and to much of the group's bewilderment, leapt forward to take the initiative of the attack before Mewtwo could launch his move against it. It ran towards him with great speed, seemingly unfazed by the power-level it was up against...its muzzle starting to shine again brightly as it attempted to recharge its previous assault…but no time remained for it to achieve its goal.

Mewtwo unleashed his force along with the blazing orb, just as the Houndoom released a particularly fierce blast of its own towards him.

The two shots collided in midair, sending a loud boom echoing trough the foliage around them… the brilliant sphere bore right into the middle of the flaming torrent, stopping the attack dead in its track…A brutal struggle began, each of the adversaries fighting to overwhelm the other in strength; amazingly, the scores seemed to be leveled out at first; until finally, carefully guided by Mewtwo's will, the crystalline ball of light steadily started driving the wall of fire backwards, continually fueled by further waves of energy transfered through the link he maintained with the sphere, pushing its way over towards the struggling Houndoom who was unable to keep the power of its inferno any longer…Mewtwo was winning.

The girls watched in speechless awe and disbelief as the globe finally reached its objective, setting the concentrated amounts of energy still stored within its center free…One sickening howl of pang, and the Houndoom landed on its back several feet away with a huge thud, thoroughly paralyzed…and this time, it didn't get back up.

For several moments, mute silence filled the air of the clearing. Nobody was able to utter a sound. Mewtwo was undoubtedly the victor of the combat. None of the group members could recall ever seeing such an incredible battle…It was simply pass compare. A psychic type… defeating a dark type Pokémon…with not only brilliantly used physical techniques, which were most impressive in themselves, but along with the usage of a successfully performed Hyper Beam attack... along with _effective_ psychic moves used right at the beginning of the match...

Neither human nor Pokemon dared to move a muscle as Mewtwo slowly made his way over to the defeated Houndoom, his deep frown still present in his features. There was an alert aura emanating from his person still, pulsing ever so lightly with each of his heartbeat. Amy watched on, feeling her own increasing rapidly as she realized the change in the Houndoom's immediate surroundings…The canine had landed at the base of an ancient tree trunk, amongst the tendrils of a cluster of ivies…which same tendrils now seemed to be slowly coming to life around the motionless body, more so with each step Mewtwo made towards his fallen opponent.

It was a most intimidating sight to the eye, the strong vines steadily wrapping themselves around the heaving Houndoom's legs and torso, gradually lifting its helpless frame into the air, right up to the very point where its muzzle was only inches away from the psychic creature, his hard, amethyst gaze bored into the canine's blood red one…

_""Your kind is truly more corrupted than I would have imagined possible…"" _he whispered in a threatening voice, his piercing glare causing the sturdy Houndoom to nearly whimper in awakening fear. _""First, attacking innocent Pokémon of the wilderness…and now, a group of unsuspecting passengers…How much further would you continue I wonder ... Here, let me help you with the answer. Never again, you hear…**Never.**""_

With these words, which were only audible to the Houndoom alone, Mewtwo's eyes flashed brightly once more, his aura swiftly engulfing the dark Pokémon's body. It let out an ear-splitting howl, its head jerking way backwards abruptly.

The spectators gasped in shock at the suddenness of the unusual move.

"Oh my Gosh…What in the world is he doing to it?!" Gwen gasped at the sight of the shaking Poke-hound. The Houndoom's body stiffened for a second… only to go eerily limp in the next; eventually it ended up levitating in front of its psychic opponent, like a puppet suspended in the air by the very strings of nature. It was visibly out cold…

The blue light surrounding them finally vanished and the Houndoom's body got released from its ivy captivity, left to fall down onto the ground with a dull thump, remaining motionless from then on.

It took quite a while till the first one among the huddled up group eventually found her voice again…

"What…What did just happen?" Gwen spoke up rather fearfully, rising to her feet with Amy finally following suit next to her. "_**How**_ did you do that?! … Did you…is it…_**dead**_?" the raven haired girl managed to end her train of thought, staring down at the sprawled Pokémon in front of their feet.

_""… No, he is pretty much alive…"" _Mewtwo answered quietly, his gaze resting on the figure of the Houndoom a while longer, a sombre expression on his face. ""_All I did was alter a few crucial aspects of his deeds in his mind…He will not be causing any more trouble."" _

"…Surely?" Gwen questioned him in a weak tone, rather doubtful at the moment. "It might just be me…but seriously…that there is a Houndoom…a dark type…" she gulped with a small shudder, the rest of her thoughts fading into silence.

The mighty Pokémon did not seem to take offense in her words. On the contrary, he nodded his head slightly in quiet approval, indicating he understood her concerns.

_""Do not worry…I am most certain."" _he replied, never diverting his eyes from the fallen Pokémon's body as he spoke. It was as if he was still inspecting the results of the battle…making sure all was attended to properly before allowing himself to ease his posture again.

"Mewtwo…" Amy whispered gently after a while, her eyes steadily locked onto him. "You just saved our lives."

That sentence finally succeeded in diverting the lavender colored creature's attention and he returned the brunette's amazed glance, the outlines of a very small smile showing in his features as he caught sight of her still insistent bafflement.

_""I merely returned the favor…Now we are even."" _

Amy shook her head silently in quiet wonder, finally allowing her own smile to resurface as well as she gazed back at their Pokémon friend.

_""Time to get you people out of here…"" _he told them quietly, summoning his aura that now stretched out to embrace the others as well, lifting the startled group gently into the air along with him. It was remarkable to feel the change in this incredible power…Overwhelming and dangerous only a few minutes ago; now so careful and reassuring…Everyone gasped in unified surprise at the sudden feeling of becoming airborne, Amy and Gwen staring down at the ground wide-eyed that drifted further and further from their feet…They were flying…As in…_**Really **_flying!!

"Woooaaa Gooosh!" Gwen squeaked in a tiny voice, causing Amy to chuckle out loud next to her despite her internal shock. She felt a huge rush of excitement surfacing in her veins as they soared higher into the air, already reaching the top of the forest canopy. She could barely believe what she was living through…It was unlike anything she had ever experienced… The feeling was staggering, filling her whole being with a sudden rush of adrenaline…

Just then however, Amy's eyes settled on something scarlet shining from below…and her twinkling enthusiasm shuddered to an abrupt halt.

"Oh my… look!" she screamed out suddenly, causing everyone to snap their heads to the direction her outstretched arm was pointing to. "Shouldn't we be worried about those flames down there?! That Houndoom's Flash Fire must've caused some of the dried out vegetation to burn as well!"

Her companions exchanged startled glances as they realized the patch of ground their battle had been fought upon was having smaller fires burning scattered around it…

_""Not to worry."" _Mewtwo quieted them, being the only one who wasn't showing any traces of concern at all. ""_The rain shall take care of that."" _

"Rain?...He-hey, wait! What rain?!" Gwen protested with a yelp as Mewtwo began steering them all eastwards, back towards their home.

_""The one that is about to ensue."" _he stated simply, his eyes starting to glow with soft blue light anew during their flight.

"Gwen…look…" Amy murmured, poking her friend in the ribs before she would've had the chance to speak up again. Gwen followed the brunette's gaze with a frown on her brow…only to have her chin drop way down the next moment as she saw the grey clouds assembling behind them high in the sky. Within short minutes, they thickened to form a wide blanket on the horizon, heavy with rainwater.

"Oh…that rain…" Gwen muttered, blinking several times as the silent rainfall came along, gently tending to its work of putting out the spreading nests of fire before they could inflict any serious damage.

_(( "Mewtwo…You are simply amazing…" )) _Amy thought, her astounded gaze turning back to the Pokémon who was flying gracefully at the head of their little team…He didn't return the glance, however, Amy eventually came to the conclusion that perhaps once again, she must've been thinking a little too loudly… judging by the presence of that faint, amused snicker on the psychic Pokémon's lips.

--

"Awesome…First time I've ever entered our house through the balcony!" Gwen had to giggle a little as they stepped inside the hallway after finally arriving home…The silent rain just started pouring down outside in the yard, giving them enough time to step under the roof before being soaked. Amy would have bet anything the weather was fully under Mewtwo's guiding at that very moment…He still had so many mysteries about him they had no idea about, it was astounding…

"Come on, let us find Graham and fast…I'm very worried about Kira." the brunette called out to the others, quickly overcoming her bafflement and rushing towards the stairs with her friends close behind. The Kirlia had lost consciousness sometime during the flight…

They found the professor sitting in the living room, tenseness clearly showing in his posture as he awaited any kind of news from the outside world. His head snapped towards the door in an instant at hearing the nearing footsteps and the familiar chattering of the Pokémon.

"Gwen? Amy? Is that you?" Graham exclaimed worriedly, jumping to his feet as they entered the parlour. "_**Where**_ on Earth have you been… and what in the world happened to you?!" he stammered, looking at the battered party standing in front of him.

"Don't even ask…We've accidentally stumbled upon a maddened Houndoom…" Gwen mumbled with a grimace.

"… You _**WHAT**_!" Graham gasped in shock, staring at the girls in disbelief.

"That's right…if it hadn't been for Mewtwo, we would've been toast for sure." Amy added, Gwen nodding eagerly beside her. Graham diverted his gaze to the aforementioned Pokémon who stood silently in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe lightly.

"So _**that's **_what you have felt back there…" he murmured, finally understanding the cause of Mewtwo's sudden disappearance. The girls cast a slightly confused look back at their rescuer, but Graham didn't leave time for them to ask.

"Did any of you get hurt? Oh Lord, I knew something was terribly wrong, I could just sense it…Are you all al…right?" he suddenly broke the sentence at realizing the limp body of the Kirlia in Amy's gentle embrace. "Oh my Gosh…"

"Graham, Kira's the one who took the heaviest beating in the conflict… She had been caught in the Flash Fire of the Houndoom head on while fighting it and…" Amy had trouble summarizing the happenings, feeling her voice failing her…but she didn't have to talk any further. Graham's experienced eyes could easily tell the rest.

--

The Kirlia was laid onto the couch gently, a soft, wet towel draped around her frail body to soothe the burning pain in her flesh and ease the shock induced by the burns while the others contemplated how to help her best. She was shivering from the amount of her sustained injuries, her breathing shallow…

Amy barely noticed the heavy discussion between Gwen and Graham in the background; her attention got fully limited to her wounded Pokémon lying in front of her, fighting for her dear life…The extent of her burns were horrible enough to even look at, but to actually feel it…

The little Kirlia hiccupped quietly as she came around, taking in a painful wheeze as the soreness assaulted her senses.

"_Amy…" _she whispered faintly, her hazy gaze searching for her best friend; Amy promptly placed her palm on the Kirlia's forehead, trying to hush her as best she could.

"Don't worry dear, I'm right here with you…You'll be alright, you hear me? You'll be okay…"

"_Amy…It burns…Please…Make it stop, please…" _Kira muttered, clenching her eyes shut against the surging pain.

The brunette could only shake her head in misery at her Kirlia's plea, tears starting to run down her cheeks…Why couldn't she simply take away her suffering…How could she ease her pain…

"Alright girls..." Graham finally spoke up, forcing Amy to divert her glance from Kira for a minute. "I must confess, I'm afraid the sufficient treatment for such severe injuries as these are way out of my domain of specific equipment…I may be a professor of biology, but that doesn't make me a professional doctor…We have to get Kira to the Pokémon Center as fast as possible where she can receive the necessary attention and medicine she needs."

"Yeah, there's only one problem though…The Pokémon Center's practically over the other end of City Maze…" Gwen grumbled under her breath, biting at her nails in silent distress. "By the time we get there..."

_""Your friend has a point…"" _a deep voice suddenly touched their minds and everybody turned around to look at Mewtwo who had walked closer to them in the meantime.

_""I highly doubt your Kirlia would bear the trip well in her current condition."" _he told them, casting an examining glance at the wounded Pokémon.

"Well what do you suggest we do instead then?!" Graham asked somewhat loudly, his arms flying up into the air in frustration. The usually calm and optimistic man now seemed to be steadily filling up to the brim with distress. He was not used to seeing his little family in such dire circumstances…"Kira doesn't stand a chance if she remains like this, unattended to! She's in need of earnest medical attention and she needs it fast!"

_""I know."" _Mewtwo agreed calmly, not the least bothered by Graham's sudden outburst.

His gaze met Amy's tear-filled one for a moment before he continued.

_""I am aware of that myself. But consider this if you will…she does not necessarily need outside help to get better."" _

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances in response as Mewtwo made his way over to the Kirlia's side, crouching down next to Amy who stepped a little further away from the two of them to make him more room, a worried look on her face.

"What do you mean by that…" she asked him quietly, confused by his statement.

Graham was about to voice his objection about the matter again, but Gwen quickly slapped a hand onto his mouth, silencing his uncle as best she could. "Give him a chance, will you?" she whispered into his ear before turning back to the others gathered around the couch.

_""I will show you."" _Mewtwo answered silently, gently placing a paw on the Kirlia's forehead, to the exact same spot where Amy's hand had been resting a few minutes ago.

Kira stirred a little under the touch, her eyes opening slightly. _"…two…" _she mumbled faintly as she recognized the Pokémon leaning over her prone form.

_""Listen to me little one,"" _Mewtwo addressed the Kirlia, his voice firm, but reassuring at the same time. ""_You must gather your strength if you wish to get rid of the pain. Summon all your remaining powers and concentrate them on your wounds. With enough focus and determination, you will be able to pull through on your own."" _

"_Mewtwo…I'm not strong enough to do that…" _Kira whimpered, her eyes filling with tears as she understood what he wanted from her. _"I…I don't even know how Recover works…"_

_""Nonsense. You have the ability within you, like all your kind."" _

"_It never worked fully on me…I don't know how to use…" _the little Kirlia sobbed, getting more overwhelmed by fatigue.

_""Kira, that is enough!"" _Mewtwo cut her off suddenly with a stern tone and her whimpers were silenced by sheer surprise. She peered up into his serious eyes and remained completely quiet, only her crystal tears flowing still noiselessly. ""_You are a psychic Pokémon; you have all it takes to master your capabilities. Do not loose faith in yourself. You have more power in you than you imagine; and I am going to prove it to you."" _

With these words, Mewtwo's light blue aura shimmered to life, enveloping both him and gradually, the Kirlia as well. His eyes closed slowly as he guided the wave of his psychic powers, Kira soon following suit as she absorbed the energy sent over to her body.

_""Work with me Kira…"" _Mewtwo's voice echoed softly. ""_Summon your own powers as well…I am merely giving you a starter boost…You will have to do this on your own eventually…""_

After a few more moments, Kira finally complied. A deep, shaky sigh escaped her as she concentrated, giving it all she had left to fulfil Mewtwo's wish…Everyone watched with quiet amazement as Kirlia's colorful aura began twinkling alongside Mewtwo's blue one, the psychic forces mingling with each other in beautiful harmony.

_""Very good Kira."" _Mewtwo whispered, smiling as he felt her awakening confidence. ""_Keep it steady…Channel it…Feel it…Concentrate."" _

Kira's brows furrowed a little as she did as she was told, gaining more control over her powers by the minute…to a level she had never experienced before. And steadily, she started to notice something else as well…

"_It's working…" _she murmured, her eyes opening in wonderment. _"It is working! Mewtwo, it…I feel it!" _she spluttered, an amazed smile spreading across her features.

_""I know…Just do not let go of the focus!"" _Mewtwo warned her, cutting her excitement off for the moment. ""_Continue…Do not break the flow till the wished effect has been reached."" _he instructed and Kira did as she was told, biting back her happiness. She could feel the pain subsiding…as if entering a cool pool of easing spring water…It was still present, but it was getting dampened…more and more with each step the two of them made with combined effort.

In the end, she didn't even notice Mewtwo's paw lifting from her forehead…She was concentrating deeply, her body slowly lifting into the air as she went on, her aura glowing bright in the dim living room…

"_This feels so good…" _she muttered, smiling as she floated over the couch, ease finally showing on her expression. A few more minutes and she drifted back down, right into the arms of her speechless brunette friend…her horrid injuries shadows of their earlier degree in comparison, no longer threatening her life.

--

Nobody noticed him leaving the room behind; they were too overwhelmed by the sight of their levitating friend, both worry and hope mixing in their gaze as they watched on and silently cheered for the Kirlia...The little one did a wonderful job. She was well on the path towards full recovery, which sent a rush of content through his tired being.

Mewtwo was standing at the window overlooking the veranda, steadying himself by leaning against its ledge, his head lowered to the point where his forehead could touch the cool surface of the glass…That day had been quite a work-out…He felt like he had used his last ounces of strength while helping the unfortunate Kirlia…but it was worth it, and how…She would be alright, this he knew and the thought was more than enough to please him.

"Mewtwo…" a barely audible call came from behind him, causing the Pokémon to lift his head from its resting place. He could make out the silhouette of the girl in the window…it was the brunette.

"Sorry…I…never got around to thank you for all you have done for us today." Amy continued quietly, taking a few careful steps towards him. She looked worn out as well, her face still smeared from all the tears she had shed.

_""You do not need to thank me…"" _Mewtwo murmured in answer, turning around slowly to look at her. ""_I already told you...You were the ones who helped me out first…I owed you this much."" _

"Mewtwo, you have done so much more than that…" Amy insisted, her earnest gaze locked onto him. "You've protected each and every one of us back in those woods and you've just saved the life of my Kirlia!"

A small pause followed in their conversation, both of them regarding each other in silence.

"May I ask you something Mewtwo? …Why did you do all this? You've put your own life on the line… You've offered help to my wounded Pokémon, even though you could've just as well kept out of the whole commotion…"

The Pokémon's gaze rested upon her for a long time without him uttering a sound…

_""I could not do so…"" _he finally responded, hiding the fact how hard it actually was for him to give a proper answer to that question… ""_Maybe if we had met under different circumstances…in earlier times…I would have easily decided otherwise."" _he admitted, a sombre expression washing over his features. ""_But now…Now it angers me…It angers me deeply to see such atrocities…You did nothing to suffer that Houndoom's wrath. I could not let it destroy you…either of you. That would have been… wrong."" _he concluded, his glance drifting down to the floor.

After a while, Amy stepped closer to him still; and as the psychic creature lifted his gaze again, he suddenly found himself staring into her chestnut eyes from up close. They were once again glistening with traces of tears and there was a warm smile playing on her lips.

"Thank you…" she mouthed quietly, and before Mewtwo could grasp what was actually happening, he once again felt her slender arms wrapping around his torso as Amy closed him into a gentle hug. "Thank you so much my friend…" she whispered anew, her cheek brushing against his shielded chest.

For a few seconds, Mewtwo completely froze into place, the sudden action of the young woman leaving him breathless…What was she doing?... What was just happening... The world seemed to come to a stand-still around them; the contours of a memory touching his mind…He faintly recalled that particular night…That night when he got jolted from his worst nightmares which still linked him to his dark past…That night when he awoke shivering, aching all over, burning fever raging through his system…When he awoke to the sight that he was not alone…He recalled the anxiety in the girl's shocked face, and the signs of her following relief afterwards…And then, he remembered the feeling…that soothing touch…the exact same one he was experiencing now…

His limbs felt like turning into jelly, his posture eventually relaxing in Amy's embrace… His eyes closed with a deep sigh, his head lowering without him even noticing it, his chin eventually coming to a rest upon the brunette's soft hair…his paws didn't let go of the window-ledge though… it was probably the only thing that still kept him from sagging to the floor…He could faintly feel the girl's heartbeat against his chest; and he finally allowed the comforting sensation of it all to take him over, all alertness, all caution, all tension that usually were a natural part of him now slipping into the shady backgrounds…

They stood like this for several minutes, finding solace in each other's presence…After a while, Amy's head lifted from his chest, a slight frown appearing on her brow as she realized the change in the Pokémon's stance…

"Mewtwo? …You're trembling…Are you alright?" she asked him, concern leaping back to her voice as he slumped against the wall behind him for a better support as soon as Amy's hold on him loosened a little…Even though the room wasn't fully lit, she could make out that all color seemed to have run from his complexion. He left his head hanging after withdrawing from the embrace, simply lacking the energy to lift it again.

_""I'm fine…Just a little drained…"" _he murmured, but Amy had to strain her senses to pick his words out, he was talking so quietly.

"Just a little…Aw no…" she whispered with worry, suddenly remembering that not so tiny fact that Mewtwo was actually still a Pokémon who was supposed to be recovering after a serious misadventure he had barely survived…

"No…" she gasped as he finally slid to the ground, his feet giving way beneath him. Amy instantly reached out to soften his fall as best she could, also falling to her knees in front of him in the process. "Mewtwo, don't do this to me, you hear me!" she pleaded, supporting the barely conscious Pokémon in an effort to keep him in a sitting position. His eyes remained shut as he leaned against her, but Amy could still hear his faint murmur in her mind…

_""No…really…I am fine…Just…fine…No worries…"" _

"_**Graham!**_" Amy screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping that the professor would hear her.

--

_""Ow…that really hurts…"" _Mewtwo mumbled, massaging his forehead weakly in a feeble attempt to drive the ache in his skull away… He had come around not long ago, only to find himself stuck with the sensation of a throbbing migraine that sent his world spinning…

"I'm not surprised." Graham told him with a small chuckle, administering the painkiller through the syringe in his hand. "You've fought quite a battle today, knowing from the telling of the girls. My word, and what a battle it must've been… A mighty challenge to any Pokémon, but I must say, from a creature that nearly passed into the afterlife only two weeks ago, that is one exceptionally _**incredible **_performance, my friend…Though, strong Poke-system or none, you clearly have overtaxed yourself back there."

Mewtwo only managed a weak whimper in response…he could've sworn he was feeling a great deal rottener than he had back at the beginning of the whole story.

"Don't worry purple one! A good night sleep and plenty of rest and you'll be feeling good as new. Nothing to worry about." Graham told him with a smile, giving a rub to the spot on his arm where the needle had been.

_""Yes, easy for you to say…"" _Mewtwo groaned with a grimace, trying in vain to squirm into a more comfortable position on the bed. He was feeling sick to the stomach…

He could vaguely make out a psychic presence near him and opened his eyes to find Kira plopping down beside him on the edge of the covers, a deeply worried look on her face. But other than that and the remaining bandages on her body, she seemed to be in a pretty good shape. The sight made Mewtwo smile faintly.

_""I see you are feeling better…Nice work, Kira."" _he told her quietly, giving his best not to wince as another throb of pain soared through him.

"_Are you sick because you help me?" _the Kirlia asked him full of concern; she had such honest fear on her face at the possibility, it actually made Mewtwo chuckle lightly.

_""No, little one, of course not."" _he assured her, gently placing a paw on her head in a soothing motion. ""_Do not worry about me… you hear…"" _

The small Pokémon nodded slightly, looking back up at her brunette friend in search of approval. Amy smiled at her with an encouraging wink.

"Like he said Kira; he'll be okay." she told her as well, and the Kirlia finally relaxed a bit.

"Alright everyone, I believe we all had quite enough excitement for one day." Graham addressed the group that had assembled in the guest room, which had long since been declared as Mewtwo's private domain. "Let's leave Mewtwo to rest now and head to our own beds for some well deserved sleep as well."

There was a small shuffle as the reluctant party slowly made its way out of the chamber, but not before each of them waving a hearty "Good Night" to Mewtwo. Gwen hopped by his bed too, giving his shoulder a friendly pat for the very first time and whispering a quiet "Thank you" into his ear. Her actions surprised the psychic feline, but he accepted them with pleasure all the same. He could hardly believe all the dizzying attention he was suddenly receiving…

"Have a good long rest my friend, and Mewtwo…I thank you. Thank you very much for protecting my family." Graham told him earnestly and before heading for the door himself, he gave the Pokémon's hand a firm squeeze…which the psychic creature, as soon as he recovered from the internal bafflement, returned.

Amy was the last one remaining in the room, her Kirlia by her side…Mewtwo lifted his tired gaze at her, the look of wonderment still present in his features.

_""What just happened…"" _he asked, a little confused at the display of such friendly gestures towards his person. Amy couldn't help but chuckle at his incredulous tone.

"I believe you've just received a great amount of gratitude." she told him with a smile.

_""Gratitude…"" _he responded faintly, his eyes starting to close again from exhaustion. ""_That is definitely new…"" _

Amy shook her head fondly as she watched the Pokémon ease back onto his pillow. She reached over and tucked him in carefully with the blankets.

"I know I've already told you this before, but…" she whispered, leaning over him and Mewtwo soon felt her forehead touching his in a kind motion. "…thank you for being there for us…" she told him quietly, staying close to him a while longer before rising to her feet again.

"Good Night Mewtwo." she called back from the door, glancing back at the Pokémon who had already drifted off into a half-sleep. "See you later."

_""Yes …you too…"" _she could hear the drowsy response floating her way and she smiled as she closed the door, leaving the Pokémon behind with a feeling unlike anything he had ever experienced in his whole lifetime… for perhaps the very first time in his life…he felt true, undisturbed happiness inside.

--

**_Awww...I LOVED working on this ending scene... n.n _**

**_I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed working on it! :D_**

**_Hope to see you again soon with yet another addition to the tale! ;) _**

**_And once again, thank you for your patience with me!! :)_**

**_Take care and see ya next time! n.n_**

**_- Kirlien - _**


	14. Chapter Twelve

_**

* * *

**_

Hello Everybody! n.n

**_I know, I know... some of you might have been wondering whether I have been eaten by a Garchomp or not... xD_**

**_Well, nothing of the sort luckily, LoL! Only massive "Real-Life" happenings... but enough about that! ;)_**

**_You have most likely come to read something new up here already! ;P Which wish, I'll finally be able to fulfill! :)_**

**_Hope you fellows will like my newest update...and to those of you who have been eager to receive sollution to one of the biggest mysteries of this story...That's right...The waiting is FINALLY over! xD -trumpets go off in the background- ... Trumpets?...Who had ordered those? O.o (( LoL! )) _**

**_Once more...my deepest gratitude to my dear Beta Reader with this one! n.n You rock!! x) _**

**_Have a nice time reading and please leave lil' reviews for me, too! ;)_**

**_- Kirlien -_**

* * *

_**Chapter 12:**_

How soon the reunion between the two beings really was to follow was something neither of them could have suspected beforehand…

For after no more than mere hours, Amy found herself drawn back into the very same chamber she had only recently left behind in order to get some sleep and ease her nerves somewhat after the startling commotion…both of these actions being wishes, however, which would not be fulfilled easily that night.

For an unnervingly long time, she had lain silent within her own dorm, her lids - as heavy as they were - refusing to shut completely, disturbing images of past events flashing within her restless memory.

The regularly occurring, soft fidgeting beside her didn't help her much in her attempts; for she was not the only one doomed to remain awake.

Her Kirlia rested close to her side, all rolled up into the warm covers, her shiny eyes twinkling in the darkness. She was having no better luck in finding her way to the realm of relieving dreams than Amy had.

"…_You sure he'll be alright…?" _she had asked her brunette companion the umpteenth time that evening, her fears never subsiding. Amy did her best to sooth the anxious creature; her encouraging words addressed to both her Pokémon and herself, for she was having similar troubles with keeping her thoughts from wandering back to the dweller of the room a level lower beneath them. It has never happened to her before, to actually feel "_exposed"_ within the four walls of her very own domain…and yet, it definitely felt to her like a familiar, calming presence was just…missing… one which she only knew in one place to find…

Thus, the little party set off in the middle of the rainy night: one Kirlia, one Beautifly (who never would have missed escorting his two partners on their way), and one silent human female, making their way down the shadowy steps and towards the location they all hoped to find peace in till dawn…

So it came to be that before long, Amy rested side by side with the feline creature once more, trying to sooth her own heart by listening to his calm breathing, watching over his reviving slumber. As alert of a Pokémon he may have been, he never even moved a sensitive ear towards the door at their careful entrance; he was sleeping deeply, his posture comfortably at ease, undisturbed by the quiet movement of the newcomers. Amy regarded his features with a soft smile on her lips; it was a good thing _he _at least managed to rest properly. For him, it was essential…

She allowed herself to stretch out more leisurely on her side of the double bed, finally feeling content with all that she had taken in stock. Lifting her head slowly, she glanced over to the corner where her favorite large chair stood, one which now offered a cozy nest for her dear Kira and Boe, the younglings just visible in the dim light the small lamp on the nightstand offered. The two little Pokémon, after making themselves comfortable, promptly huddled up to each other, and eventually gave in to their exhaustion. Even Kira succumbed, greatly comforted by the fact that they were now sharing the same space with their heroic protector. Feeling Mewtwo's calmness most certainly assisted her progress and she now slept peacefully, her thin arms wrapped lightly around the neck of her butterfly friend, the Beautifly leaving one bright wing to cover her slim form, similar to a multi-colored blanket.

This tranquil sight filled the young woman's soul with pleasant warmness. They were safe…and they had all survived; even her tough little Kirlia would recover, her remaining wounds no longer stinging her in her sheltering sleep.

And the person they were to thank for all this was resting right beside her…

She let her head sink back onto the soft pillow, exhaling slowly with a sigh of awakening relief. There was no need to dwell on the details any further at the present…It was over…

Or…was it?

Her eyes opened anew, peering over towards the window, glimpsing outside into the insistent darkness through the narrow opening in the curtains. There, beyond the glass, rain still kept pouring down without any intention of pausing for the night as if wishing to wash away any evidence of the previous day that might prove that the conflict in the woods nearby ever happened.

On any other occasion, Amy would have welcomed the quiet drumming of the drops of water on the windowsills. It would have offered her a quick transition into deep, peaceful slumber…but now the sound only succeeded in making her thoughts wander again, restless and persistent.

The vision of a demonic canine entered her mind; no longer snarling, nor raging with uncharacteristic ferocity…She wondered whether it still lay under the very same tree, on the spot where it had fallen, its body now drenched with rainwater.

The thought perplexed her greatly, sending a dumbfounded frown onto her brow. What in the world was she thinking…For hours she had been haunted by the horrific snout of the beast, the rows of sharp teeth advancing towards her with dreadful eagerness…and nonetheless, there she was, succeeding in finding pity for even the very being that nearly sent her and her Kirlia to the afterlife… The girl couldn't help but divert her gaze towards the ceiling with an exasperated expression. This feature of hers couldn't have possibly been normal… Perhaps Gwen really was right after all in assuming her compassion would be her demise one day.

With a small grumble, she rolled over onto her side, showing her back to the outer world. She didn't want to know…She did not dare contemplate any further where and in what condition that Houndoom could have possibly been in that very same minute. It was just as likely after all that it was presently snooping around their very threshold…for who could truly tell what kind of intentions had really driven that Pokémon to the point of actually attacking them head on, seemingly without any proper reason…

The image of that idea sent violent shivers down Amy's spine and she gave way to a small sigh of distress, fixing her gaze onto the silent creature beside her for solace. In him, she currently saw the one capable of shielding her from further nightmares…one who had the very power of forcing even the beings of darkness to a staggering halt.

That very revelation kept Amy occupied for several more minutes, a most disturbing sequence resurfacing in her memory: of a fully evolved Houndoom, an almost _too _perfect of a specimen of the Dark Type, enclosed within a mighty psychic hold. It was levitated high above the ground, held firmly in place by the will of a resolute Psychic Type…the sequel following soon after, in form of the mightiest of all Hyper Beam attacks Amy was fortunate enough to witness...an attack that distantly, but undoubtedly held the deeply embedded psychic aura of the wielder within its core.

Despite the unsettling oddity of the experience, Amy found herself sending a fond smile their mysterious guest's way…How on earth did he possibly pull all that through…? How many Pokémon on the face of this globe could possibly hope to repeat his actions? … He had to be a Legendary…Was there any other explanation? No amount of psychic power should have been enough to affect a dark-type Pokémon…None. And yet they have all seen it happen with their very eyes. It made so little sense to her…With his actions Mewtwo had been defying the very laws of nature itself!

"Will we ever know your secrets, Mewtwo…?" she whispered quietly, her words lighter than the flakes of snow which were to be expected to arrive on Earth any day now.

She restrained herself from reaching out to him, not wishing to disturb him in his much needed slumber. Instead, she decided to finally follow suit…nearly pulling the covers over her ears in the process of finding the perfect position that would hopefully deliver her to the realms of preferably dreamless sleep.

It was not to be, though… Her senses were still sharp enough to pick up the small movements vibrating through the mattress beneath them now and again. She opened her eyes with curiosity. She hadn't felt those subtle shifts before during her ruminations…She looked over to the Pokémon with whom she was sharing the double bed, but it did not seem like he sensed any change in his surroundings; Mewtwo was still oblivious to the world.

_(("Am I just imagining things?")) _Amy mused, figuring her tired mind must be playing tricks on her; however, that option shortly turned invalid, as soon as the brunette felt the swift, sudden thrust against her outstretched leg. The unexpected motion nearly caused the teen to bolt upright into a sitting position, but her momentum quickly dissolved after her widened gaze caught sight of the possible explanation.

Her head lolled back slightly, toneless laughter arising in her chest at the sight she beheld…for warm covers or none, she could still make out how Mewtwo's orbed paws were moving in his sleep, his fingers flexing time after time. It was such an innocent reaction accompanying the R.E.M. phase of anyone's slumber that it made Amy smile from ear to ear to witness it. Another indication of how far the psychic one really was in dreamland at the moment…Amy only hoped they were fair images he was seeing this time.

She could feel another small twitch under the blankets and by now, she fully knew how to comprehend them. She herself awoke numerous times to the eerie sensation of her legs living a life of their own in the deepest stages of sleep, kicking out on their own without any consent of their owner. The same was happening to the feline right then, projected reactions to the activity within his subconscious mind. Amy wondered whether he was still busy creating order, long after the conclusion of his battle…

She waited patiently, taking in each quiver rushing across the strong limbs; she honestly would have enjoyed monitoring his state till hours on end, as long as the night lasted. She could hear the low sound of the muscular tail brushing against the sheets, his powerful hind legs following suit; the purplish Pokémon stretched slowly in the gloom, a small frown crossing his delicate features as he allowed his muscles to shudder pleasantly. And by his side, the young woman felt her heart all but melt; it was remarkable how adorable one usually cross cat could be in his peaceful moments.

""…_Why is it that you are not asleep…?"" _a faint, drowsy baritone voice echoed softly in her head, causing the girl to tense at the sudden question…When had he awakened? She had never even noticed…

"I…couldn't find any rest." she admitted quietly, slightly baffled, watching as the creature opened his eyes; faintly luminous amethyst orbs settling their glance from under his half lifted lids on her curled up form. "Hope you don't mind any extra presence…" she continued sheepishly after a minute, feeling kind of embarrassed for sneaking into his room like that without asking for his agreement prior.

Mewtwo did not rush answering her, but even so, Amy didn't catch any hint of disapproval radiating from him towards her person. He merely moved his head to get a better focus on the visitor, regarding her with a calm countenance, not the least but disturbed, as if he had known beforehand she was there.

""_Your presence does not bother me."" _Amy heard him replying. "_"Not being in bed, however, will hardly bring you any repose."" _

That answer brought a huge grin into blossom on the human female's face.

"I _am _in bed, silly." she said in amused response.

""_Yes…Hardly in your own though, if I assume correctly."" _Mewtwo stated nonchalantly, arching an eyebrow; for some reason, that simple observation made the young brunette blush deeply.

"Well, maybe not…but hey, I wasn't the only one wishing to visit you…" she spoke up in a low voice. "Would you believe it was one determined little Kirlia insisting the most that we should come…? Once again, you could try and hush her apprehensions all you liked, but she would not calm down till she saw with her own eyes that you were doing fine." Amy smiled softly as she recalled the details of their arrival in the chamber. "I was rather surprised you didn't wake up; she gave you quite a scrutiny from above before finally finding her spot for the night…"

Where exactly that spot was she no longer needed to express. While she was speaking, Mewtwo slowly moved his torso, his head proceeding to roll towards the direction of the chair behind him which he couldn't see from his current position; he never failed to amaze Amy with his accurate foresight…but even though it seemed he wished to take a look at the duo of small creatures personally as well, his motion ceased halfway. His eyes closed with a tired sigh, the Pokémon eventually finding content in reaching out to the slumbering ones with his senses, rather than his sight.

""_How is she?""_ he voiced his inquiry to Amy. Even though the human felt certain the psychic being could have very well been able to collect the information of his interest himself if he so desired, it seemed he wanted to hear them from the female herself instead.

Amy of course, was all too happy to answer him.

"Her condition is improving wonderfully." she whispered with delight, her voice nearly wavering from the pleasant excitement welling up inside her. "I'm still unsure about deciphering _what_ exactly your method could've possibly been back in the parlor, but whatever it was you two were up to it worked with fabulous results! Why, just try and show another Pokémon or any living being for that matter who would be so lively after surviving a fiery attack from a Houndoom…"

Her words may have been uttered in a hushed manner, but their vitality relayed her feelings to the psychic creature perfectly well, the pleasant cheerfulness of her demeanor tugging at his senses with an admirable force. Her enthusiasm showed all too clearly when concerning Mewtwo's abilities, and that thrill radiating from her managed to lure the hint of a smile onto the feline's features, the serenity he felt enveloping the Kirlia and her Beautifly companion in the background further adding to his satisfaction.

Amy also was pleased to feel her body finally relaxing in the embrace of the covers; it was exactly how she had suspected earlier. Why she felt more at ease next to Mewtwo than anywhere else in the whole house she called home remained a riddle to her that she was yet to solve, but with all honesty it did not bother her one bit. She just felt overly grateful Mewtwo was willing to tolerate her intrusion that night.

"What do you think…if I ever asked you how exactly you were able to do all the deeds you have accomplished on this particular day…would you share your answers with me?" she asked carefully, curiosity getting the best of her.

""_That would depend on the nature of your question."" _Mewtwo murmured after a short pause, turning his head towards her slowly, never opening his eyes.

The girl studied him silently for a while, taking pleasure in the view she now received of the unique muzzle of her strange friend; greatly hoping to memorize the picture well, for it was not an everyday treat, seeing his features so even, free of the serious hardness which usually occupied his expression. Presently, at first glance one would have easily assumed he never had risen from the depths of his slumber…but Amy could clearly feel his awareness.

"Actually…I would have one of those for you right now." she continued under her breath, knowing fully well Mewtwo could easily understand her words even if she barely raised her voice while articulating them. Her declaration succeeded in drawing the Pokémon's gaze back onto her person.

"We thankfully know Kira is progressing well…but are _you_?" Amy asked him, her eyes sparkling with amusement; for she knew he was still expecting further prodding about the previous subject.

Sure enough, a small blink from the feline seemed to verify that hunch; but other than that, he showed no further sign of reaction.

""_You enjoy repeating that inquiry, do you not?""_he whispered, suppressing a yawn. Amy knew he was yet far from being well rested, and indeed, it was not in her intention to keep him awake for much longer; she merely wished to know the answer to that final question of hers.

"I enjoy having certainty of the well-being of my friends." she told him earnestly, her voice gaining that particular undertone; the clone could clearly decode the embedded message in its current: _(("What are you thinking then…It's the most natural thing in the world.")) _

""_Oh? ... And when exactly have we become…"friends"?""_ he asked her shortly, fixing a sideways glance at her from the corner of one amethyst eye.

"I don't know." she replied innocently, hiding her amusement as best she could manage…and failing at it miserably. "I have pretty much considered you as such from the very beginning. And by now, I can easily tell the whole family has followed suit." she told him with a cheerful smile.

She was mostly expecting the Pokémon to join her in her mirth at that observation, especially since the certainty of the previously expressed fact stirred her own spirits high immediately; thus, it disturbed her to quite an extent as she could not detect any change in the male's demeanor as the seconds ticked by. He remained as he was, motionless, his glance remaining steadily locked onto hers.

""_You humans still have much to learn…"" _he voiced his conclusion, puzzling Amy all the more with his answer. "_"Your knowledge of my person consists of mere particles at best, yet, you claim you are perfectly comfortable with my presence here."" _Slowly, his gaze wondered over to the ceiling high above them, leaving the sight of the confused female behind. "_"That is a naïve notion…Pursuing it further may leave you with deeper scars you would ever imagine."" _he concluded his train of thought, the seriousness of his tone surprising the young woman.

For a few minutes, Amy did not utter another sound; Mewtwo's unexpected warning reached her, sending her mind wandering as the brunette tried to make sense of his words…

"You know…it might be true that we still have quite a bit to learn about you…"she agreed somewhat reluctantly, a tad bit discouraged by his earlier statement. "But…with all honesty…you have proven your worth to all of us tenfold." she then added with more force, a determined frown appearing on her brow. "Nobody could ask for more from a fellow living being…You have saved several lives mere hours ago; and for that gift, whether you accept it or not…you shall forever be remembered in our home as a friend."

A deep sigh echoed softly across the room in the shadows as the girl's voice faded; Mewtwo's head rolled to the side slowly, his faint glance settling on the brunette. It made the young female's heart heavy, seeing that cheerless, gloomy dullness in the depths of those eyes she found so beautiful. Her honest confession, it seemed, brought the exact opposite effect onto the feline as it should normally have; the sign of disappointment over the futility of his words being the only impression she could distinguish. Whatever it might have been he had hoped to relay to her, judging by his response… she must have missed it.

"Come on…Please don't act so sullen. I hate it so much when you do that…" Amy finally breathed, refusing to allow the heaviness in her chest to escalate any further.

"Whether you like it or not, _I_ _shall_ uphold my opinion." she declared defiantly, sending a smile the Pokémon's way, justifying her point. "There is nothing you can possibly do or say to make me feel otherwise and I will never deny what I feel in _here_." she continued, pressing the fingers of her right hand onto her chest as emphasis.

She kept her firm gaze on the purple orbs across from her, satisfied as she received no further opposition to her heated words. She was yet unsure of Mewtwo's true reasons for declining any offer of friendship…One thing was sure enough to her though that would not change any time soon: and that was her very own point of view concerning the strange cat-creature.

"I believe I have voiced my thoughts of the matter quite clearly Mewtwo…" she spoke up, a wry smile visible on her face; which however swiftly softened again as she decided to give the reticent creature one more chance.

"What do you say then, hmm…?" she asked him quietly, extending one slender arm from underneath the blankets, placing her hand palm-up onto the pillow between them. "Friends?" she whispered the simple question, waiting patiently for a response.

The Pokémon glanced down onto the offered limb resting next to him, a faint frown crossing his features as he lifted his gaze onto the female…and soon after, to Amy's great surprise, the corners of his mouth curled upwards, a soft snort of what actually resembled laughter reaching her ears.

""_Human…your stubbornness is remarkable.""_ his voice reverberated in her mind as he moved further away from her, faintly amused tone accompanying his words as he slowly rolled over onto his back. He never even showed any intention of wishing to reach out towards her hand though…

"Thanks…I'll take that as a compliment." Amy murmured half-heartedly, her grin however still playing on her lips. "For my offer, I will never withdraw." she stated firmly, leaving her arm outstretched towards him as a sign of sincerity.

Silence gained terrain in the chamber rapidly after her conclusion, the brunette no longer receiving answer from the Pokémon beside her, except of him shifting over onto his other side after a while, showing his back towards the human.

"You never answered my question from earlier…" she whispered in the dark that seemed to steadily thicken around her…all the more so after that inquiry remained similarly without response.

Despite of all that had transpired between them however, Amy remained true to her word…She fell asleep, with her arm always remaining on the pillow, extended towards the creature who proved to be just as stubborn as she was.

* * *

Sometime later, the young woman's senses got slightly roused to a tingling sensation spreading towards her shoulder…It was such a strange feeling to her in her half-sleep state she was barely able to comprehend what exactly was going on…It dawned on her foggy mind that she must have remained in the very same position under the blankets ever since loosing contact with the real world for the remainder of the night…Her arm was continually prodding her to shift already, to ease the bend that was starting to cut off her bloodstream…but she refused. Even now, when she was rather slumbering than being awake, she refused to give in. Something was keeping her from willing her body to move, to give in to fatigue…She would never stop trying…She was far more determined than to give in to discomfort…

As groggy as she was, something within her caught the barely perceivable change in the eerie feeling of her prickling fingers…There was some kind of movement there –careful, deliberate…She could almost feel the touch of soft, rounded orbs on her skin…There was a gentle hold enclosing her numbed hand, slowly pulling the insistent limb of hers into a more evened, comfortable position.

""_You must understand, young one…I cannot promise what you desire.""_ a quiet voice entered her waking mind, easing her back into sleep.

""_Yet…that does not mean I do not appreciate it…"" _Amy heard it whispering…and just before succumbing to her weariness, she was successful in closing her fingers around the hand that was still holding hers.

* * *

Outside, sunlight started to penetrate the cloudy skies, parting the thick cover high above, steadily driving the darkness away. Birds celebrated the arrival of a new day in the misty morning, welcoming the rising sun that was peaking over the land, its golden rays caressing pleasantly in the cool air. Rain had ceased falling with only the insistent clouds remaining in its wake. For a few minutes, playful beams found their way into each corner, every hollow, and all openings available for them in their journey.

Naturally, something as frail as a pair of curtains in a still quiet dorm provided a meek obstacle for them. Advancing through the narrow gaps, they entered the peaceful shelter, illuminating the surroundings of its resting inhabitants. Slowly they traversed across sheets and pillows, soon to be settling on streams of brown, velvety hair, unbeknownst to the owner. Next, their path steadily shifted to a light purple color, sunlight reaching out to embrace the individual resting by the female's side. They touched his skin with their warmness, caressing him on his cheeks, stealing their brightness past his lashes…and he shied away from their reach, clenching his eyes shut against their insistence. He did not feel ready to acknowledge them; with one relentless command of his drowsy mind, he let the fabrics of the curtains rush together with finality, shutting out the beckoning light of nature.

_((""This is not my time…the daytime…""))_ the thought echoed within, a reminder of his much needed return to his originally nocturnal lifestyle, where his sole companion was the distant moon - quiet and cold as himself. The gifts of the daylight were not for him; they were not meant for shadows of the unnatural.

Hoping to ease back into the temporary peace his light doze offered him, to retreat from such heavy thoughts for the time being, he moved to draw himself into a more relaxed pose, his head moving slowly to the side as he did so…only to have his nose sink deeply into a dense batch of soft locks. His eyes opened with a start at the sensation, and he promptly withdrew from the touch; shaking his head faintly at the sight greeting him thereafter.

When would this girl ever learn…? She had huddled up so close to him sometime during the night that she had barely left him room to move about. He consequently restrained himself from such motions, not wishing to awaken her; it was more convenient for him to have her sleeping.

Receiving no sign of awareness from either member of the small party in the chamber, he once more attempted to follow suit…but to no avail; he was anything but used to having somebody this close to his person. He shifted slightly, trying in vain to shake the feeling off; it remained as if glued to his senses: subtle hints like her low breathing brushing against his chest; the scent of her hair - a pleasant mixture of peach and melon - lingering in his nostrils; the closeness of her presently quiet aura, unique to her being, a signature as open to Mewtwo as an opened book to others.

His lids lifted anew with a silent sigh of stirring resentment; he could simply not comprehend what could have possibly been the cause of this particular female's attraction towards him. She kept referring to her wish of winning his friendship; why she would insist so was a mystery to which the answer still eluded him. To call him a sociable creature was just as much a misconception as viewing the moon as heat-radiant as the sun. As far as he could determine, he was quite incapable of being a friend to anybody in this world that was so alien to him. He was far too different, so much unlike the others. He was never meant to be a companion; nor was he meant to have any.

From the very beginning, he was originally designed and created with ultimately other purposes. He was meant to be the ultimate Pokémon, the strongest one of all with powers far greater than any known to mankind. To the humans working on the cloning project, he was meant to become a being with solely one destiny: to battle and to win…to obey his creators without doubt or second thought, never being acquainted with the notion of defiance…

Today, all of those people foolish enough to pursue such a dream were long gone, along with the fate they had desired for him; the one he so deeply despised and rebelled against; and the one with which, unbeknownst to them, they had sealed their own doom as their efforts had progressed.

A light sniff escaped him as he drew his features into a barely perceivable sneer; he wondered how eager this member of their race would possibly be to obtain him as a friend, should she ever come to know the details of how he had destroyed a whole laboratory mere minutes after his so called "birth", ending the lives of countless individuals, devastating the lives of several families in the wake of their deaths… of what kind of ambitions had driven him in the days he was organizing the competition on New Island…

Whether he ever felt regret, remembering these deeds of his past, he could not tell for certain. He could discern no straight emotions concerning them; all was hollow within, unmoving, unfeeling.

He did know his actions had been proven wrong though; since that particular day within the island fortress, he had grown to value the freedom of life creatures of this world possessed. Their right to that freedom and to that free choice they all shared had impressed upon him to remarkable extents until it had become the very devotion of actually finding himself willing enough to risk his own well-being in order to protect that right, along with the beings who were fortunate enough to claim it as their own.

To the very present, this side of him did not cease to exist; even if he was devoid of any other emotion, regardless he seemed to experience the same motivation to avenge the ones entangled in actions that could only be viewed from all angles as unjust…the drive to bring misery to oppressors, and through it defending the ones oppressed. One fundamental reason for providing assistance to this family…one fundamental cause of having crossed paths with said family…

Recalling the details then, he could not help but wonder… Perhaps he should not have intervened… maybe he should have allowed happenings back in Foster Forest to play out as they were sealed by the powers beyond this existence. Who was he to alter them? Yet…who was he to stand by and watch, without any form of reaction…?

Perhaps the reason for that was to be traced back to his own experiences: he himself had changed greatly since his departure from New Island, and all the more so after the events on Mount Quena. Seeing his fellow clones being hunted down and tortured instilled a fury in him against those who sought profit through the suffering of others, especially if they were Pokémon who were targeted. He had fought against their threat…and in the end was victorious.

The evidence of that conflict had been thoroughly erased after its conclusion…but it had never been banned from his memory. In the wake of his fellow creatures, he had departed as well, searching for a new place he could call his home. Whether such a treasure could ever be reachable to him, he was unsure of… but for several months, he was successful in avoiding detection, living his life safely distanced from pokémon as well as human beings. He had been a specter roaming the night, shrouded from curious eyes…and even if some might have glimpsed a hazy spot of his presence near them, his identification was impossible; and he might have remained a phantom for a very long time still, one quiet observer, peaceful and silent unless provoked…should he have had the proper inner strength to order himself to a halt when it should have been necessary.

Yet in that crucial moment he had failed…and the consequences had just returned to haunt him further.

A deep sigh escaped him in the stillness; closing his eyes, images of that foul morning from a couple of weeks prior assaulted his mind afresh. The feline attempted repeatedly to shed light upon the possible mistakes he might have committed during his quest…for surely, he himself was solely the one to blame for his own failure. Who would have thought that one measly wretch of a human would be capable of mustering the arsenal that could actually match his power level; not merely providing him a challenge…but actually driving him to the border of defeat.

A dark frown appearing on his brow, the Pokémon scowled in the midst of his pondering; the way he judged, he was not yet bested… knocked down severely, that he admitted…but _**not **_defeated. He would never acquiesce to the thought of having allowed any human to degrade him…all the less so a member of Team Rocket.

This was by far not over…

Movement slowly awoke near him during his rumination…He could make out the distinct sound of a quiet yawn, drifting to his ears as a silent breeze would…and for some reason, its origin unknown to him, he felt as if an unpleasant thrust had been administered from the inside of his chest as the faint disturbance of the silence faded away. This would be the last time he would ever hear such a sound from someone in his presence, for he knew he had no more time to spare…

"Hey…why the long face, you?" a very dozy voice asked him from beside him, the girl with a troublesome attitude lifting her still sleepy eyes onto his person. Her unruly locks glided across her features, leaving her peering through multiple layers of fine brownish strands…which, however, did not keep her from immediately observing his state of mind. It certainly made Mewtwo wonder just how far her capacities would tend to grow should she belong to the psychic race… Right then however, he would have so much better preferred if she had been as oblivious to her surroundings as a Snorlax would have been…

""_It is nothing which would qualify for your field of concern."" _Mewtwo answered quietly, hoping to stifle the shower of questions before they even had the chance to manifest.

""_Curiosity may be a benefiting side of the psyche, human…,""_ he continued at sensing her fidgeting, diverting his gaze from the female._ ""Never forget, however, how far it is safe to allow its limits to stretch."" _

One of the brunette's soft brows lifted at the measured tone of his response; he could make out the lingering crossness in her demeanor as she spoke.

"Ah…I see….Nothing of any significant importance then I assume." she said calmly, settling back amongst the pillows; her words following within the minute grumbled in a low murmur: "Yeah, right…and I'm the Queen of all Ninetales…."

""_Thankfully, that is not the case…They would have a hard time under your surveillance."" _the psychic one observed in low monotone, succeeding in stirring her nerves up even further. With remarkable agility, she disappeared from his side, returning to her own portion of the bed, showing him her back.

For several minutes, tense silence stretched between them, one that has never really ensued before, with both of them refusing to address the other, even though the frigid atmosphere surrounding them at that point was something neither of them enjoyed. To Mewtwo especially her soaring emotions were extremely radiant, to an extent that actually started to bother him inside. Either this female's aura was specifically vivid, or his senses had gained a whole new level of sensitivity without his recognition.

""_There is no need for you to become so vexed."" _he stated after a while, deciding to end this foolish game of hard-headedness.

"Really now." she growled back under her breath almost immediately, her voice rather bitter. "Name me one good reason why that would be so."

""_It is senseless. I have never spoken any words to you which would have lacked proper reason. Besides, aggravation from your part will not serve you in any direction; but will merely assist in rising difficulties."" _

"The way I perceive it…there is only _**one **_source of difficulty here." Amy declared, sending a suggestive look over one shoulder towards the feline. "One smart-aleck Pokémon who refuses to interact normally with the people around him." For once not wishing to retain eye-contact, she returned to her inner brooding, her fretful face no longer visible to the creature.

"I honestly have no idea how your acquaintances could possibly manage with you." she muttered peevishly, perhaps not even meaning to actually utter the words to him, but rather to herself…yet, they were more than successful in touching a long buried nerve within the self-proclaimed solitary being.

""…_I spare them that hardship…"" _he spoke softly, his lids half closing at the memory of his fellow artificial Pokémon. They were all far away somewhere in the big world now…the very one they so hoped to have the pleasure of exploring one precious day…

Something in the tone of his psychic response caught the young woman's attention; somewhat reluctantly, she glimpsed over towards him from the corner of one almond-shaped eye.

"Meaning…you don't keep touch with them that often?"

Taking a deep breath, the Pokémon moved his head to the side, hiding his facial expression from her sight. Her all too personal inquiries were truly starting to tire him… he despised them. Why was it that these beings never seemed to have enough of such queries at the tip of their tongue…?

Shortly, a quiet snort indicated the brunette's reaction to his silence.

"No wonder your communicative manners are out of shape…" she considered aloud, her temper easing to a tolerable degree. She was obviously not someone capable of holding a grudge for a longer period of time. Carefully, she drew herself into a sitting position, the silent creature sensing her contemplative gaze settling on him.

"Why do you refuse so staunchly against any form of company?" she asked him at length, no longer angered; her question not being meant for interrogation, but simply voiced in hope for better understanding.

Seconds passed with growing muteness, the girl waiting patiently to see whether she would receive any form of response, the feline mulling over his inner feelings, unsure how much he would be comfortable with to tell, or rather whether he should speak up at all, providing her with an answer.

""_My reasons are my own…well justifiable…and not meant for the ears of outsiders."" _he told her eventually, suspecting in advance how his words would pain her; yet, he had spoken nothing but the truth, whether she accepted it or not.

"Do you consider me as an outsider, Mewtwo?" she asked him in return, saddened palpably by his response.

""_It is undeniable."" _he answered, avoiding masterfully to be affected by her emotions._ ""You are unfamiliar with my past, which is exactly how it should be proper."" _Turning back towards the female, his stern eyes spoke volumes to the human. "_"We may have shared the same space with each other these past few weeks; that, however, will not change this fact. Your family, your Pokémon, and you; neither of you are authorized to the knowledge. I am nothing like the fascinating mystery creature you imagine me to be. My past does not exist, my future is obscured, and my present should not even be presumed."" _His features turning rigid, his speech echoed in the stunned woman's mind with exceptional hardness. "_"Heed my words well, Amelia… any acquaintance I would accept near me… any friend I would present with my approval…would be doomed to eventual misery. Keep that in mind, and never forget should you ever feel inclined to propose your earlier offer to me again."" _

Startled into silence, Amy stared back at him with widened chestnut eyes, her countenance overshadowed by disturbed uneasiness. It had been ages since she last heard someone address her by her full name like that…and both back then and today, its occurrence did not foreshadow good news. Amelia was her formal name; usually used in educational fields or in social environment…but never among her friends or relatives, people who were close to her. Only her parents, and Graham at times, would call her this way in her younger years when she was caught in the middle of a mischief, or when they wished to rouse her attention should they have wanted to exchange serious words with her. Hearing it spoken now, especially by Mewtwo, suddenly added a whole new extra amount of foreboding to the situation, leaving the young brunette trembling inside with a sensation she never felt before during their conversations: fearful uncertainty.

"Why would you say that…?" she sighed quietly, trying hard to comprehend all that she had just heard. "I try to follow, believe me, I honestly do…but you are talking in such complex riddles, I'm having trouble understanding!" her voice quivered then with exasperation, the girl giving her best to keep her tone low for sake of the small duo in the corner that had the blessed fortune of still be slumbering. "One single example as enlightenment is all I ask…"

""_An example, you say…""_ the feline chimed in, rising to her eye-level, seating himself across from her on the bed. "_"You could already name one yourself, girl…or are you so ignorant of the circumstances around you that you would be willing to deny the events that had just recently taken place?"" _

Amy looked back at him, her body frozen motionless…her features gradually melting into an expression of utter sorrow as the significance of his words started to dawn on her.

"That was not because of you…" she breathed, barely any sound drifting from her throat. "That was not your fault…How could it be…?" she went on, shaking her head gently all along…her denial causing the Pokémon to sink further into gloom.

""_Clouding your own common sense is pointless."" _he chided her silently, his psychic voice grim. "_"What transpired in the woods yesterday did not happen by accident. You know as well as I do that Houndooms do not act the way this one did of their own accord. What do you suppose was the purpose behind his attack? What kind of target would have sent him after you? Your Kirlia or Beautifly perhaps; Gwen's Furret or Chikorita? That would be highly unlikely…No; the time has come for you to see clearly…for your own safety.""_ he concluded his train of thought, having come to his final decision; if it was the only possible way to make her see reason, than so be it. Perhaps afterwards, she would spare him from further complications, and she herself would be free from continued suffering…the latter of which - as uncharacteristic it may have been to his stern being - he did not wish to see happen.

Hearing that, Amy lowered her gaze for a minute, several possibilities concerning the implications circulating in her head; her fingers held a firm grasp on the sheets in front of her as she struggled with her nervousness that was starting to eat its way through her demeanor… but she suspected it was for the better: as much as she found herself dreading the truth, she could definitely not falter now that it was being offered to her freely…

"Help me then, Mewtwo…" she whispered somewhat hoarsely, her brow furrowing earnestly. "Help me see clearly, and I'll be satisfied…"

In that very moment, the feline already knew how false such hopes would turn out to be as soon as she received the answers. Feeling the necessity of this particular reveal drawing near, however, left no further choices…for either of them.

""_Understand, I have never wished to disclose this information to any individual."" _he spoke, raising one of his paws towards the slightly quivering female. "_"Nor for events to turn this dire…""_ he continued quietly, bluish illumination spreading beneath his half closed lids.

"What are you up to…?" Amy asked him faintly, noticing the signs of his psychic activity.

""_I am fulfilling your request."" _he replied, his voice just as low, his orbed fingers touching her on her forehead and temples lightly, causing the girl to shiver under her skin. "_"This shall be the front from whence there is no return. For a long time now, your questions concerning the day of our encounter had been left unanswered…now, the time requires for you to receive explanation….""_

""…_I shall guide you to that destination…"" _his voice reverberated, fading into the void that started to envelop the young woman. She felt an indefinable coolness spreading from her forehead towards her temples, steadily flowing down her neck, advancing towards each fiber of her being, shutting down her senses to the material world one by one…the sensation of this never before experienced intrusion proceeded to send chills up and down her spine. Yet, Amy did not feel oppressed by the psychic touch. It was highly unusual, causing her to tense sensibly…but after a while, even that feeling got confined within more tolerable measures, careful waves of reassuring energy convincing her that no harm would come to her from this procedure. Mewtwo had decided to show her the events from a more personal angle, instead of relying merely on spoken words to fill her in on the happenings in the not so distant past. As soon as her mind adjusted to the eerie change, Amy received the privilege few would ever share with her: she was allowed to glimpse into the memories of one of the strangest beings ever to walk the face of this earth. Images started to arise within her mind at a steady pace, their owner mindful of not overwhelming her with their flow, and to share with her only the pieces of the puzzle which were most relevant, in order for her to finally understand…

* * *

_Light arising from the hazy darkness, nature's wilderness rushed forward to greet her in the fine trance she had lapsed into…a faint sigh escaped her at the fabulously detailed picture filling her mind. No human could ever hope to see her surroundings this clearly: the veins stretching beneath the surface of each leaf… rifts advancing on the forest's branches… waves of autumn breeze traveling against the bright sky… all of them fractions invisible to her ordinary sight. It felt like she was soaring high above the ground, refreshing wind brushing against her form, enveloping her in a pleasant, cool embrace. Contours around her seemed uniquely distorted, the rising globus of the sun casting shades and colors onto the land in the splendid tones few artists could capture, Gwen perhaps being one of those very few, she remembered. Yet the withdrawing twilight did not hinder her own senses: she could not recall ever being so sensitive to her environment before. It felt like she could trace the very breathing of the Earth below her: hearing, smelling, the view she perceived…all were sharpened, enhanced…_

_Was this a dream she was living through…? Could a dream ever be able to show such similarities to reality…? Or was this rather a vision…something far more than a masterpiece of her vivid fantasy…?_

_There: a pulse within. She received sign of someone's presence, realization returning to her momentarily clouded mind. She was not alone here…no, it was not her own body moving swiftly towards the foliage…these were not her own senses being aroused to something unexpected happening below…_

_She was merely an observer here. She was viewing events with the eyes of a being far more advanced in strength and ability than she ever was, or would ever be… _

"_Mewtwo…?" she called out quietly, the connection re-established. She knew it was him. Now, she understood her position: she was living through the day of the start…_

_Scenery changed with startling swiftness; she could no longer see the countryside. The ground was advancing fast. She found herself perched on top of a tree, its full crown not yet affected by the season's chilling hand…Leaves were brushed aside from her view…but even before comprehending what it was she was about to see, she could already feel the tension rising in the air. Noises assaulted her ears…what started out faintly in her flight, just shifted in decibel…and yet it was not her hearing that was wakening the core of alarm in her system…she could __**feel**__ the danger lurking in the early morning, the threat growing from beyond. The accuracy of the psychic spirit was being introduced to her first hand… _

_There: screams were drifting in the wild…the sound of scurrying feet approaching…rustling vegetation parting in the distance…figures darting left and right, startled out of their nests, their homes…They were fleeing for their life, their freedom…_

_One small group broke from the stampede. She could make out the fox-like creatures in crystal clarity: a young pair of Leafeon, urging on a tiny Eevee cub. Their movements were agile, the little one keeping pace with his parents successfully…_

_But then one quick dash, one accurate hit - the Eevee fell to the ground, tripped by the attack of a Scizor concealed in the shadows…_

_Her heart skipped a beat. The parents skidded to a halt, the mother crying out in terror, the father leaping forward to protect his son…One bright flash of electric shockwave caught him in the side, thrusting him hard against a thick tree trunk… The small child wailed with fright, the mother jumping between the Jolteon and her mate…_

_She watched on, watched every painful detail of the ensuing battle. Her throat became dry, her head swimming with confusion at the ferocity she was witnessing. What were these Pokémon doing…? They should not be acting like this…! Why would these two attack the family…?! _

_The father fell once more, the Scizor above him relentless…The mother crouched over her trembling son, but was wrenched from her protective stance by the merciless Jolteon…The child's brown fur bristled, his feeble attempts at a counter attack yet lacking sufficient power…His voice quivering with helplessness at the sight of his parents being wounded…_

_Her heart shook with desperation…that duo was vicious, and dangerously strong at that…What was going on…? Was there truly no help for the ones tortured…? Was nobody hearing their plea…?_

_No, they were not unheard…The angered current of energy vibrating around her was proof of that…Not even he could turn from the cries of the innocent…especially where such young souls were endangered…_

_The foliage all but disappeared from her sight… Within barely perceivable moments, both Scizor and Jolteon were hurled far into the murky mist of the forest, the psychic assault having caught them unprepared…There was a deep voice, well familiar to her, ushering the startled family of Leafeon to take shelter…the parents complied within the second, proceeding to take their wide-eyed cub into safety. The creatures disappeared into the retreating shadows just in time, before their assailants returned, set on taking revenge…_

_Without delay, she saw the Jolteon flying towards her, fangs bared, its eyes burning ferociously, taking her aback…She jumped at the sudden advance…the entity did not… His swift counter knocked the antagonistic being down…twisting to the side, he avoided the slash from the Scizor, and said Pokémon joined his companion in the dust immediately…_

_Action ceased in a momentary pause…He was asking for the reason, an opportunity for an answer provided…She saw the pair recovering from his blow, even though neither of them were Dark Types…How were they able to get to their feet so fast after his psychic touch…? They did not flinch, they did not respond…their countenance shadowed…_

_There was something wrong with them…She shivered, receiving a breeze of their aura…How she was able to discern anything of the sort she did not know, but the certainty she felt left no doubt…These Pokémon were infected: one of them Electric, the other Bug, yet both of them infested by unusual Dark, not the average type of the Shade…something far more malevolent, unfeeling, __**evil**__…it was the source of their special resistance… _

_She did not have time to contemplate the cause, for neither did he…They jumped forward again, their cry for battle fierce, their new target found…his surprise at their insistence filling her…_

_A whirlwind of motion filled her vision then…her mental eyes flashing, trying hard to follow - an impossible attempt…She could feel no tension from him…his mind set for the situation, his powers flaring, working their way through the malicious barrier greeting them…It was not as simple as should have been normal…they resisted savagely…he had to concentrate harder, his moves requiring more force for effectiveness…but he did not feel threatened…They still were no match for him…_

_But what was this…? A shift just ensued: something new, was nearing…A shadow brushed past, nearly catching him from behind…his reflexes did not allow that to happen and he dodged away, the picture spinning to face the arrival…She bristled, nearly hissing aloud at the sight of the creature her eyes beheld: it was a Seviper glaring back at them, its huge fangs glinting in the growing sunlight, coated with venom…the thought of the toxin stirred deeper fear in her than it being a serpent, standing face to face with her…_

_Everything about this creature felt the same: Darkness emanating from its curling body…not even the slightest notion of anxiety present… its eyes eager for bloodshed. She felt ever so ready to bolt inside…but not him, he remained just as resolute, accepting the added contestant, changing his stance accordingly…_

_Now, there were three against one, the Seviper providing uncomfortably strong assistance to his mates, an annoying distraction…still, he did not feel concern…_

_Several times, the party got thrown backwards, the corrupted duelists each taking different routes in their flight, psychic waves leaving them to crash into painfully hard obstacles…__**Still**__, they would advance anew, their stamina no longer astounding her alone…_

_His attacks did wear them as time passed on…but simultaneously each hit he dealt them spurred them into steadily more severe moves…and psychic powers added to physical ones or not, he had to be on guard…They would not give in unless they fell unconscious from fatigue or due to fatal injury, the latter which he did not wish to apply, the former which he did not seem to be able to accomplish…The darkness emanating from their soul weakened the attacks of his psyche…_

_Civil communication, naturally, had been out of the question from the start, the position being eerily familiar to her…He was unsure of their motives and prying into their mind being something he had restrained from for the time being, the never-ending assaults keeping him distracted…He could do little else than block their blows…The idea of retreat he never even considered: it was a term he did not know, nor did approve of…He would continue fighting them till they had no energies left to proceed…then, maybe, he would get the answers…_

_She did not like this decision, the shadowy group's reasons mysterious or not…She would have wished to slap him across the face, to yell at him to forget about his pride and just __**go**__…She felt alarms going off inside her again…she felt something approaching…she knew that by then, he could sense it as well, but it was too late to back out…_

_Thunderous vibrations rumbled across the forest's earth…canopy rustled wildly…not mere branches, but whole __**trees**__ snapped and moaned in the distance…the sounds advanced fast…sending a whole new flow of horror rushing through the woods…_

_He stopped short for a minute, turning towards the commotion…his adversaries following suit…a sneer spreading on their bruised, distorted faces…Their master was coming…_

_She tried to huddle up closer to the familiar presence for reassurance…she already dreaded whatever was nearing…She could almost feel his muscles tightening with anticipation, his morose confidence unwavering…At that point, she no longer tried to urge him to flight with her will…she knew he would not hear, nor listen even if he did…_

_Finally, a gigantic silhouette started to form above their heads…young trees were broken in half, falling to the ground with a mournful sigh…Her mental jaw fell wide open at the monstrosity towering over them…spider-like features penetrating the tree line, four massive mechanical legs pounding the earth with heavy thuds…Metal shined in the early daylight, the figure positioned on top of the wicked machinery hardly registering in her awe…The hunter's figure did not go unnoticed to the psychic sentinel, however…_

_Taking in the man's appearance eventually, she saw him to be no less grotesque than the freak of technology he was controlling: tall, muscular physique…wearing what appeared to be a black uniform…arms and legs covered in grey material…a reddish vest draped about his shoulders, partly obscuring a large, red "R" covering his chest…his face hidden behind a hideous, iron mask… _

"_Egad…" she breathed faintly, the shaky word going unnoticed by the participants of the memory. The disconcerting grin on the man's face gaining steady width…his following laughter repulsive, ringing in her ear maniacally… _

"_**Welcome, elusive creature… We have been looking forward to your arrival." **__he proceeded to taunt, garnering a deep growl from the one addressed, the visitor nearly feeling the rumble within her own chest… _

_Suddenly, new light had been shed on what was happening…It was no coincidence…No; this had been planned all along, to lure him out into the open…The innocent of the wild had been nothing more than pawns…and he, moved to action by their misery, had taken the bait…_

_Fury flamed high within him, causing even her to flinch…The man's eager goals were not to be fulfilled…He demanded the human's immediate leave from this region, but as it was to be expected…the masked one failed to cooperate…_

"_**Not without the prize I have been seeking for such a long time." **__he repelled, his voice confident, the sneer seemingly plastered onto his jaw…,__**"You might as well prepare…for you will be mine to control!" **__he exclaimed with vigor, reaching for three of the orbs fastened onto his vest…_

_But no…these were not ordinary Pokéballs…Her sight traveled across their black surface in uneasy confusion …Dilating in diameter, the wicked orbs flew high into the air, opening to release their content…the waves of dark energy reaching them with nauseating sensation…_

_Rays shot towards the ground, revealing three more beasts…_

_Floating several feet in the air, the form of what at first glance seemed to be a specter materialized…The Mismagius peered down at its future foe from under its purplish cap with malevolent anticipation…the currents of Darkness flowing through its veins, boosting its Ghost Type energy level to a fascinating extent…_

_To the side, a different figure emerged: typical canine features meeting her gaze, the collar of bones well distinguishable…the long horns twisting far over the being's head… leading her to recognition with a powerful jolt…She felt like freezing over, staring at the familiar muzzle of the Houndoom in front of her, darker and more ferocious than any of the wilderness… _

_But her shock could not have been worse, after being introduced to the third and seemingly final contestant…Never before having the misfortune of encountering this particular Pokémon out in the open, the sight of the fully evolved Tyranitar casting shadows over them left her whole soul shaking…the cold whiff of Dark aura accompanying its appearance only added to her fears…_

_Perceiving the assembling reinforcement, she could finally discern small portions of disturbance emanating through to her…He did not like what he saw either…discomfort spread as darkened presences started to fill up his senses, closing in on him dangerously fast as the man gave the final command…_

"_**Take it down…"**_

* * *

_It was daytime now, early morning long passed; the warriors weary, but no less determined…_

_The subtle shift in the memories changed everything…The forest had truly turned into a battle field, their surroundings mangled, the participants in no better shape…_

_He was not doing well anymore…he was wounded, his powers drained, his reserves ebbing…The smell of blood made her insides churn…_

_She could make out a form on the ground…the Scizor unmoving, its limbs twisted in unnatural angles…Further away, the Jolteon, its feet scraping hard, its body convulsing with the effort to stand up, to continue, without success…By some miracle, even though covered with severe slashes, the Seviper slithered slowly in the background, still stalking its prey, straining to recollect its strength but its eyes no longer glinted with eagerness…they were dull and empty, clouded with pain and fatigue…_

_The Mismagius she could not detect…it was nowhere to be found, hopefully dispatched of… but she could not be certain…The Houndoom rasped for breath to the right, silently trying to come to terms with its own injuries…but its eyes were much more alert, its energy better preserved…This endurance was a true Dark Type…fueled by enhanced powers, it would get up soon, and then there would be no stopping it…_

_She was amazed to no end at seeing the Tyranitar knocked out by the last counter…but by far not sufficiently enough…it was stirring to awareness already, and once back on its feet no mercy shall be expected…_

_Worry flared to life within her…He will not be able to withstand another blow from that creature: he was nearly at the end of his stamina - she could sense his difficulty of regaining posture…He was short of breath…his view wavering…_

_There: a rustle in the nearby trees…she knew it was futile to hope for…The Mismagius was returning, the effects of his earlier blow failing to keep it down…He had no time…_

_She felt something stir within him…his gaze slowly turning towards the vile machine further off…His eyes locked onto the man viewing the events from the top, the pleased expression on the human's cruel face visible…he bristled inside…__**He**__ was responsible, __**he**__ was the source…If he could eliminate __**him**__, perhaps he could dissolve their captivity…_

_Resolution kicked in with new force…and before she knew it, he took off…Sprinting to outrun any further assault, he took the initiative…His main objective soared within proximity…if he could take him down, if he could reach him in time and strike him out of his mechanical throne…She jumped, rooting for him to fly faster…She knew he had to resolve to physical force this time; his psychic energies would not support more…if only they were strong enough still to propel him to his perch…Her heart jumped…He was going to make it…_

_But it was not to be…his target was a mere arm's length away from him, and yet, he was unreachable…_

_His offensive got halted by a sudden impact, his body clashing against a hidden barrier formerly invisible, presently activated by his advance…the reddish-black shield sending a dreadful shockwave of darkness-infected energy through his system…_

_She cried out at the unforeseen backlash…The devilish tendrils did not reach her psyche, but she could make out the agony they caused to his already tortured being…a choked cry escaping him as he got knocked back savagely, barely having time to correct his fall somewhat before plummeting from the air…_

_His senses were overwhelmed by the painful collision…he could not react anymore to the next vicious blow hurtling towards him…Fiery heat erupted in his chest, and she cried out again, feeling him recoil in pain…The blurred picture cleared for a moment: she could see a purplish-glowing, razor-sharp tail-blade rushing past her vision…the hiss of the Seviper chilling in her mind…_

_The last thing perceivable was a huge bolt of scorching electricity advancing; its crackling hit blocking out everything else around…It was one final, desperate move, conjured through the last breath of energy by one barely conscious Jolteon, relentless till the end…_

_Flash of light dissolved into deep blackness…turmoil of noises fading into nothingness… pain disappeared…There was the faint sensation of coldness…of being submerged in icy water…then… void once more…_

* * *

Slowly, deliberately, features of reality started to return to them, both Human and Pokémon taking their time to recollect their senses, fighting off the last remainders of disorientation after their venture into memory. The psychic male, being the first to do so, continued to wait patiently for the girl to recover from her shock…for judging by her expression, her eyes remaining vacant for several minutes longer, processing all that she had witnessed was anything but easy for her.

"How is it possible…" she muttered finally, her pale lips barely moving. "For real… all that had been…_**real**_? Happening _**here**_…in Foster Forest?" she managed to go on, thoroughly bewildered; but even though he knew she already had the answer to her own question, her mind seemed to have trouble accepting it.

Accompanied by a quiet laughter of distress, she leaned forward, covering her face with her palms, her elbows coming to rest on her knees.

"Insane…and I thought no disaster could ever reach that territory… I mean, never before…I've never even heard of anything of the sort happening there…_**ever!**_" she hissed, clenching her teeth together tightly. By the time she raised her head again to look at the creature sitting across from her, fury had already seized her from within, making her gaze nearly blaze with anger.

"Who was that bastard…? What kind of freak would be capable of going this far…?" she asked him in a low voice, her words heavy with contempt and disgust.

He regarded her reaction silently, taking note of her virulent response; reliving the events of that battle did not seem to affect him as deeply as they did the female - nonetheless, his reply was by far not given with a light heart.

""_According to my observations, most members of the organization he belongs to would follow suit in a heartbeat."" _

"…What kind of organization would that be?" she questioned further with a deep frown, bracing herself for the worst.

""_One you may not be familiar with…Most commonly, they are known by the name of Team Rocket.""_ he answered, seeing his assumption being verified almost instantly as the young woman's brow furrowed with a puzzled look.

"Team Rocket…I don't remember coming across this name in the local news before…" she pondered aloud, her lack of knowledge adding further bother to her already long list.

""_That would be understandable."" _he nodded his head gently, assuring her that she was not to be blamed for neglect. "_"Their base lies far from these regions and thus far, so did their interest. I have traveled across these lands for many months now, and activity from their part had been as good as nonexistent…""_ He held a small pause in his telling; it was not pleasant, not even for a Poké-clone, to come to terms with his own assistance in destroying that very tranquility, as unintentional as it may have been._""…All silent until that morning…""_ he mused quietly, his glance drifting to the side for a moment.

"…I know I'm going to regret this…" she spoke up carefully after a short while, "But…what kind of goal does this Rocket gang have exactly…? _"Let's harass-plus-harness as many creatures we possibly can and have tons of fun while at it"_ or something along those lines, right?" she offered, her sarcastic tone followed by a grimace. Certainly, she knew the type…

""_You failed to mention world domination…aside from that, I would say everything fits rather well.""_ he acknowledged her unique summary, causing the woman to shake her head with a dumbfounded gape.

""_How do I know these details about Team Rocket, you would ask?"" _he went on shortly, anticipating her next thought. After all he had revealed to her thus far, he did not feel having the right to withhold the answer now. "_"It is a valid question…in short, this was not the first time for us to face each other. It was my hope to exclude them from my life once and for all after leaving my former dwelling place behind…and yet, even now after so many miles being traversed, so little result has been gained.""_

At this point, his mental voice grew grim from the bottled up wrath that still lingered inside him due to these newest proofs; retelling them only amplified the feeling. This could not go on much longer; he could not yet be certain of how exactly his whereabouts, no, his very existence could have possibly been traced…but he needed to end this game of cat and mouse once and for all, should the consequences for him be ever so dreary…

"May I ask you something else, Mewtwo…?" the soft, hesitant voice of the female reached out to steer him back from his gloom to the present. With a nod, he urged her on to continue.

"…_**Why **_are they after you…? Or…correction, I do have a fairly well guess why that would be so…Hold on, allow me to rephrase that…" she faltered for a second, scratching the back of her head in an embarrassed manner. "What I originally meant was… How did they come to know of you in the first place…? You're a creature who clearly doesn't like to show himself to humans, nor prefers to be near them for a longer period of time, so how…?"

Her question was well reasonable, her mind linking steadily with his own train of thought; her wit was picking up on the details fast, yet he could not provide her with a clear response just yet…

""_There are plenty of enigmas to this riddle for me to solve as well.""_ he replied to her inquiry. "_"Our history, unfortunately, goes back on one rather intertwined route…but as I have defeated Team Rocket's attempts in the past, I will do so in the present.""_ he said with finality, his characteristic frown deepening.

Amy studied his features, the anxious air to her person returning; again, she felt worried.

"Did you ever need to face such a dark assembly of Pokémon before…?" she asked him, uncertain about the possible outcome of another such confrontation.

""_No, I have not,""_ he responded. ""_Difficult as it may be to admit, eventually their combined strength did weary me. I was unprepared, so to say, as __I am not familiar with the notion of being outnumbered. I am not one to be bested by Pokémon of their type. As a result __I did not perceive my opponents to be a considerable serious threat when our battle began,__and thus took their advance more lightly than it was wise. In my deeply rooted certitude, I committed the one mistake that can lead to ones needless demise: I underestimated my enemy__**,**__ and through that err I foolishly allowed myself to be lolled into negligence.""_ his paws shifted into tight fists, his eyes darkening as he finally realized his fault.

""_This lesson, I shall never forget."" _he said quietly after a pause, his brow easing somewhat after making his vow. "_"He may have managed to delude my judgment once; in the midst of his actions, however, he had exposed both himself and his Pokémon slaves to me. With his advantage of surprise no longer valid, he will not have the chance of utilizing a similar approach the next time we meet…I will be ready for him."" _

The serious tone of his voice did not go unnoticed by the perplexed girl.

"_**Next time?!**_" Amy mouthed, cutting off her exclamation in the very last second, her brows all but disappearing behind her bangs. "_**Please**_ tell me you're joking…" Her nearly infuriated gaze being met by a completely calm and earnest one, she immediately continued, not wishing to allow him to chime in again. "If I'm not mistaken, we have just witnessed one rather savage fight involving you and that party of devils…Do you honestly believe that you'd stand a better chance against them _**now**_ that you are still recuperating?" she questioned him pointedly, greatly hoping that he was not actually meaning what he had implied.

""_The time for recuperation is over."" _Mewtwo stated, in a tone which tolerated no backtalk. "_"I have already regained the strength necessary to defend myself.""_

"Yes…" Amy sighed heavily in return. "…too bad you would require more of it in order to actually maintain that level after a heavier strain…or have you already forgotten the condition you lapsed into yesterday evening?" she pleaded with him quietly, desperately wanting him to see reason. "Running off in search for retaliation would most likely leave you in an even worse state."

""_Amelia.""_ the word of warning touched her mind and she fell silent within the moment._ ""This is __**not**__ simply about retaliation, as you just called it."" _he told her, his hard eyes keeping her from diverting her glance. "_"Have you not recognized any familiarity in all that I have showed you, have none of the participants brought back moments from your own memories? I would prefer your answer to be truthful."" _

His unrelenting scrutiny made her squirm inside uncomfortably, for she sensed what he was referring to: the one detail she did not wish to address directly before…

"Yes…" she muttered reluctantly. "…I did see a Houndoom…" the name of the canine feeling heavy on her tongue.

""_That Houndoom, Amelia, is one hundred percent identical with the creature you had the misfortune of encountering."" _he spoke, verifying all that she had already dreaded; her meek attempts at finding an alternative explanation forever disabled. "_"His appearance in our proximity proves beyond doubt that their search for me never ceased…Should I be careless enough to remain under your roof for even one further night, I would most certainly be successful in not only worsening my own circumstances, but __**yours**__ as well…for whether you accept it or not, your family cannot rest in peace while I am around."" _

All that he had just said reached the young woman as an extra load of weight being set on top of her shoulders, his cautioning against danger causing her blood to race. Yet even though it was undeniable that he was telling her the truth… it made her heart ache with pain. The next step he was undoubtedly planning was clearly something she could not yet even imagine being fulfilled.

"Mewtwo…" she whispered sadly, her features melting into quiet disbelief. The feline's decision, however, she could not alter. He was not to be swayed by her pained countenance. He moved away from her, leaving the covers of the bed behind, and walked over to the curtained window slowly, the fabrics sliding aside gently just enough to provide him an undisturbed view outside into the newly clouded firmament...the merry rays of nature were diminished once more.

""_Risking departure in broad daylight is unfortunately an option I cannot take…""_ he mused silently, his features unreadable once more. "_"…with the last rays of the sun fading, however, I will take my leave…I have many threads to order, a responsibility I cannot delay as much for my own interest as that of others. Do not make it any more complicated with your arguments, girl. You know as well as I do that it is the only plausible choice for us all."" _he raised his voice at sensing the woman turn around sharply, her protest already on the tip of her tongue. "_"Even so, one can only hope your home will be spared from further harm.""_

"Mewtwo…please don't act as if you were solely responsible for all that had happened!" the disagreement finally bursted forth from her soul; she could not just leave him to go off into battle anew, completely on his own, without voicing her opinion… "Listen; let's try to figure this out together, alright? Surely there must be an alternative solution to this than you going out there and getting yourself caught…" but she was not allowed to finish her sentence - he would not hear more, for the mere mention of being captured sent him to bristle with outrage. Turning towards her with a speed that actually made her jump, his eyes could not possibly have been colder as he responded.

""_I do not even consider such an option, human!"" _he spoke lowly, his teeth slightly bared as emphasis of his distaste towards the idea._ ""Allowing myself to be taken will be the final day of my miserable life. Should I truly be deemed to such fate, I will do everything in my power to oppose it; and I will not view my leave from this world as too high of a prize in exchange to fulfill that refusal.""_

Originally, Amy had thought he could no longer say or do anything that could further intensify her stupefaction. His icy declaration, however, succeeded in rendering her speechless for several long minutes, the girl sitting in such stillness a statue could have envied her for it… the creature standing by the window showing no sign of revoking his viewpoint.

"Mewtwo, I _**really**_ don't like the sound of that…" she uttered faintly, a frown finally materializing in her numbed features. "There must be a way we could dispatch that monster without endangering you or anyone of us…if we would notify the authorities, surely they would…"

""_Track down the culprit and bring him to justice?""_ the Pokémon ended her train of thought for her, causing her to fall silent anew. His stony air dissolving for the time being, he lowered his head, presenting the girl with a more softened, sideways glance. "_"Amy…Team Rocket has been on the loose for several years now. Barely any agent of theirs has ever been arrested with undisputable evidence concerning their sins. I see little hope, if any, for a change in that field. ""_

Sensing the sincerity in his voice, she could do little else but sigh in misery.

"…It would still be a possible source for help…" she tried tentatively to continue with the topic, her spirits halted before they could have ever taken up progress.

""_What exactly would you tell them I wonder, should you be asked about the source of your claims?"" _he posed the question to her. "_"A random Pokémon told you in the forest? You saw the happenings with your own eyes, the scenery guided on a psychic trail? … Do you honestly believe they would bother listening to you about creatures being held captive by darkness, rallied by an agent wearing an iron mask?"" _She did not reply to that; only diverted her gaze from him. "_"Eventually, neither path taken would make ultimate difference…only this one. Either way leads to the same destination: I have to face this foe personally if I wish to ever restore the peace that has been lost due to his arrival…and when the time comes, I would like the space around us to be desolate, without the distracting presence of any human force.""_

Again, silence ensued…His ears could not perceive any reaction to his speech, but inside he could make out how she attempted to process his view with acceptance. Deep down, he indeed wished for her to do so. Not that defiance from her part would have altered any of his actions; but if they were to part in a short while, after all the support she had given him… he would have preferred their farewells to be peaceful.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a secluded chamber several meters beneath their feet, unbeknownst to anybody in the house, one eager professor was already fast at work, sleep having fled far away from him several hours before.

He was sitting in front of a computer screen, his hunched form illuminated solely by the flickering light the monitor provided. His fingers were drumming steadily on the keyboard, his brow furrowed as his gaze glided over the articles his tenacious search provided him with.

There was one entry in particular that had caught his attention…the elderly man hummed to himself quietly as he proceeded to read the descriptions through for the third time in a row. The writing originated from among the most secluded files of the university he was teaching at, natural-scientific researches concerning one tiny, legendary Pokémon, possibly the most elusive one of them all; one whose very present-day existence was highly debated.

For long minutes, the professor's eyes remained steadily locked onto the image of the psychic creature attached to the head of the document…and the name adorning the picture's top edge.

"Mew…" Graham breathed silently, his fingers traversing across his dark beard in quiet contemplation about the possible link… his mind racing with excitement as he played with the words on his tongue.

"Mew… Mewtwo…" he continued to chant, his smile broadening ever so quickly at the realization.

"Mewtwo…Mew…"

* * *

**_Coolies! ... Another chapter done! n.n - does the happy dance -_**

**_Oh, and before I forget... I have recently discovered that my fic has reached its first anniversary! 8D YAAAYS!!_**

**_- proceeds to cut huge b-day cake - There's plenty for everybody!! n.n YUM! xP_**

**_Take care Friends, and see you again next time! ;) Have a pleasant summer all! :D_**

**_Hugs,_**

**_-Kirlien-_**


	15. Chapter Thirteen Introduction

_**Hello Dear All ! :D**_

**_Guess who's back... n_n" LOL! _**

**_First of all, I truly hope each and every one of you has had a pleasant Halloween! ;) I know I'm a little late in wishing you merry festivities, but...STILL! :D **grins**_**

**_Okies, I've honestly hoped to get a surprise chappy completed for you all to see by the time Halloween comes, but as per usual, I'm afraid...things didn't exactly turn out the way I would have liked. :-s _**

_**Good news is, Chapter 13, once finished, will most likely be approximately just as long as my previous update was. ;D My only sorrow is that, due to this same probability, and with university work piled upon my head, it will surely take a couple of weeks longer before I can post the full chapter... xO **groan****_

**_However...I would have felt really bad if I didn't present to you not even one letter from what I have thus far, especially since this chapter will be set in the very same time frame we have happening presently: Halloween. ;)) Thus, since it is *still* the weekend of Halloween ( :D ) , I have decided to show you a little teaser, an introduction of a sort to Chapter 13. :) What you see here is just the beginning. Many more will come!! ;)) (And once I have the full chapter completed, this here intro will be replaced with the actual update. :3 )_**

**_Again, thank you for your patience, fellows... n.n" Hope I'll be able to continue real soon! :D Till then...let your fantasy run wild! :) LOL!_**

**_And by the by...those of you who have identified this here story's villain as the Masker Marauder from Movie 4 ( Celebi Movie ) ... You've guessed correctly! n.n Yaaays! (( Mind you, though, this will be the part where the AU section will set in. ;) So...just pretend Movie 4 never actually took place in this here universe! xP ))_**

**_Well buddies! Till the next time we meet....take care. :) And wish me luck! LoL. x3_**

**_Cheers!_**

**_~Kirlien~_**

* * *

_**Chapter 13:**_

_Evening drew near as time advanced over the land. Autumn leaves chased each other in swirling patterns, swept off their branches by chilling winds of change. On this final, dwindling day of the month, ominous clouds still roamed the heights of the horizon, repeatedly shrouding the gradually darkening sky from mortal sight. The fading Sun's withdrawal left shadows to grow long and uncanny in its wake, creating a haunting, and all around perfect scene for a much anticipated, special occasion, to which many human beings were eagerly looking forward to._

_This impending night October no longer retained a chance to maintain position; it was to inevitably succumb to its arriving successor, the cold and eerie November, its coming ushered forth by laws which have held surveillance over this world since the beginning of Nature's very existence. These never fading shifts in the seasons of the globe were not the main interests for the dwellers of City Maze though. Their current excitement was rooted within different matters._

_A steady clamour began to take possession of the streets in the neighbourhood. Multicoloured decorations covered each entrance, their lights growing ever brighter as twilight claimed the natural one of the Earth. Pumpkins with grinning, grotesque faces greeted the wanderers outside, the multitude of these unique lanterns being only one of many strange elements presently adorning the environment of man. As ghastly as some of the more extreme ones may have looked to the naked eye, it seemed that these features were exactly the ones the populace was seeking on this extraordinary day. Ghouls and monsters, ghosts and witches on the doorsteps were meant to awake that very gruesome effect which normally many sentient creatures dreaded; which effects, on this event however, were regarded as absolute excellence._

_Not a surprising behavior, actually…considering the date announcing October 31st, Halloween._

_Thrill and anticipation permeated the participants getting ready for departure, each of them aiming to mimic those aforementioned creatures of night and fantasy by showing the utmost of their talents, providing with their appearance a no less disturbing sight than their surroundings. Their giddiness, their high spirits were evident; they were celebrating, even though the original significance of the date should have logically suggested other emotions to be stirred in their bosoms._

_To Mewtwo, it felt morbid to witness such displays of enthusiasm on an occasion which was supposedly attributed to the memories of the dead; and the more he saw the deeper his disdain grew towards the unsuspecting populace below. Not feeling inclined to observe their activities any further, he shifted slightly on his carefully selected perch, banning the issue of the preparations within the local society from his mind; he had, after all, much more pressing matters to focus on._

_In his life, horrors of this gloomy world were all too real. No mere images of superstitious fairy tales but concrete attendants of his existence; and if he wished to retain at least some of his freedom from said factors, he had to take them deadly seriously._

_No wonder thus the silent sentinel's persisting demeanor; presently, he seemed no less frigid in his stance than the approaching night itself around him. With his form perfectly blended into the thickening dusk, there was practically no way for the ordinary sight to track his position high upon the rooftop, unless someone knew precisely where to look. Leaning against the hard, cool surface of the chimney behind him – said appendage of the house no longer providing warmth against chills, having long since succumbed to the conveniences of central heating – he remained expertly concealed; only one of many useful abilities he had picked up during his travels across the countryside. From this hiding place, he could see all without himself being discovered. And even though the spot he had chosen was not particularly shielded from the occasional, biting winds of autumn rushing across the tiles, he showed not the least intention of moving from his vantage point._

_He was waiting…Waiting for that inner sign: the moment announcing departure._


End file.
